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University of Northern Colorado University of Northern Colorado
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Master's Theses Student Research
12-1-2020
PARTICIPATION IN BALLROOM DANCING: THE EFFECTS ON THE PARTICIPATION IN BALLROOM DANCING: THE EFFECTS ON THE
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE OF ADOLESCENTS SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE OF ADOLESCENTS
ASHLEY BAXTER [email protected]
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Recommended Citation Recommended Citation BAXTER, ASHLEY, "PARTICIPATION IN BALLROOM DANCING: THE EFFECTS ON THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE OF ADOLESCENTS" (2020). Master's Theses. 178. https://digscholarship.unco.edu/theses/178
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© 2020
ASHLEY BAXTER
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO
Greeley, Colorado
The Graduate School
PARTICIPATION IN BALLROOM DANCING: THE
EFFECTS ON THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL
INTELLIGENCE OF ADOLESCENTS
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Arts
Ashley Baxter
College of Performing and Visual Arts
School of Theatre Arts and Dance
Dance Education
December 2020
This Thesis by: Ashley Baxter
Entitled: Participation in Ballroom Dancing: The Effects on the Social and Emotional
Intelligence of Adolescents
has been approved as meeting the requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts in College of
Performing and Visual Arts in School of Theatre and Dance, Program of Dance Education
Accepted by the Thesis Committee:
__________________________________________________
Sandra L. Minton, Ph.D., Chair, Advisor
__________________________________________________
Christy O’Connell-Black, M.A., Committee Member
__________________________________________________
Accepted by the Graduate School
__________________________________________________
Jeri-Anne Lyons, Ph.D.
Dean of the Graduate School
Associate Vice President for Research
iii
ABSTRACT
Baxter, Ashley. Participation in Ballroom Dancing: The Effects on the Social and
Emotional Intelligence of Adolescents. Unpublished Master of Arts thesis,
University of Northern Colorado, 2020.
The goal of this study was to determine the impact that ballroom dancing had on the
social and emotional intelligence of adolescents as well as to examine which areas of social and
emotional intelligence were most affected by participating in ballroom dancing. In the text
Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning: Research and Practice, there are five
competencies of social-emotional intelligence as defined by Celene E. Domitrovich et al.: “. . .
self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision
making” (6). The researcher examined the effect that ballroom dancing had on four out of five of
these social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies including: self-awareness, self-management,
social awareness, and relationship skills. The researcher did not collect data on how ballroom
dancing affected the responsible decision making of adolescents in order to narrow the scope of
the study.
The researcher explored two research questions in this study, which were:
Q1 What potential overall effect does participating in ballroom dance have on the
social and emotional intelligence of adolescents?
Q2 Which aspects of social and emotional intelligence are best promoted by
participation in ballroom dance?
The researcher instructed participants in ballroom dance for five weeks in order to collect
data to answer the above research questions. She collected data through both quantitative and
iv
qualitative measures including pre- and post-surveys, observation checklists, and pre- and post-
interviews. There were a total of thirteen participants who completed the study and they were
between fifteen and eighteen years old. One implication from this study was the data collected
may suggest that the participants experienced an improvement in all four of the SEL
competencies that were assessed including: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness,
and relationship skills. The two SEL competencies that were most positively affected as an
outcome of this study were the self-awareness and self-management of the participants.
Some limitations of the study included the fact that the researcher was also the instructor
of the dance lessons, the small sample size of participants, the length of the study, and the
intermittent attendance of some participants at times. Additionally, the instructor only had the
opportunity to teach rhythm ballroom dances and not smooth dances due to the COVID-19
school closure. There were also some limitations in the data collection including that the post-
interviews had to be conducted electronically and the data collection tools were not tested for
validity. Finally, all the data collected did not show growth in the SEL competencies; the
researcher only reviewed the data which demonstrated the most growth in the participants in this
thesis.
v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The researcher would like to extend her wholehearted thanks and gratitude to the
following people.
Dr. Sandra Minton, thank you for being an outstanding advisor. I am grateful for your
attention to detail and thoughtful feedback throughout the thesis writing process. It is greatly
appreciated.
Professor Christy O’Connell-Black, thank you for being an encouraging and inspiring
educator.
Toni Duncan, thank you for your feedback on the formatting of this thesis.
My husband, Matthew Baxter, I could not have done this project without your continuous
love, support, and encouragement. Thank you for your pep talks and for helping me to self-care.
I would not have made it to the end of this process without you.
My family and friends who cheered me on throughout this journey, I greatly appreciate
your enthusiasm about my research and that you always checked in on me and my progress.
Knowing that you were always there and your belief that I could accomplish this project kept me
motivated.
The wonderful women in my cohort, you have been a constant source of much needed
laughter, support, and inspiration. I’m truly blessed to have been able to go through this
experience with each of you.
vi
The research participants, thank you for being part of this study and for participating in
the ballroom dance lessons. It was truly a pleasure and an unforgettable experience to teach each
of you.
God, thank you for blessing me with the opportunity to be part of this program, for giving
me the strength to complete this project, and for putting each of the people mentioned above in
my path.
vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Goal of Thesis
Purpose of Study
Significance of Study
1
II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What is Social and Emotional Intelligence?
What is Social and Emotional Learning?
The History of Social-Emotional Learning
How is Social-Emotional Intelligence Developed in Students?
The Future of Social-Emotional Learning
Benefits of Social-Emotional Learning
What is Ballroom Dancing?
Prior Research on the Benefits of Ballroom Dancing
Ballroom Dance Access in Public Schools
13
III. METHODOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Research Perspective and Type
Research Context
Research Participants
Instruments Used in Data Collection
Procedures Used in Collecting Documents and Data
Data Analysis Procedures
Chapter Summary
37
IV. DISCUSSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter Overview
Quantitative Data
Qualitative Data
Chapter Summary
46
V. CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Research Goals and Questions
Review of the Methodology
Discussion of Outcome
62
viii
WORKS CITED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
APPENDIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appendix A: Institutional Review Board Forms
Appendix B: Research Instruments
Appendix C: Ballroom Dance Lesson Content
76
76
83
96
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Ages of the participants in the study from the pre-survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Figure 2: Participants’ years of dance experience in any dance genre at the beginning of the
study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
40
Figure 3: Participants’ years of ballroom dance experience at the onset of the study . . . . . . . 41
x
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Responses to survey question “How carefully do you listen to other people’s
points of view?” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
48
Table 2: Responses to survey question “How well do you get along with students who are
different from you?” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
48
Table 3: Responses to survey question “How focused can you stay when there are lots of
distractions and you are trying to learn something?” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
49
Table 4: Responses to survey question “How often can you get yourself to relax once you
get upset?” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
50
Table 5: Responses to the survey question “How well can you keep working if you are
having a difficult time doing something?” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
50
Table 6: Responses to survey question “How confident do you feel?” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
51
Table 7: Responses to the survey question “How often do you have positive thoughts about
yourself?” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
52
Table 8: Observations on the students’ posture from the first and second checklists . . . . . . .
53
Table 9: Observations on the students’ use of space from the first and second checklist . . . .
54
1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Goal of Thesis
The call to focus on social and emotional learning (SEL) has been championed by
educators for many years. In the text Promoting Social and Emotional Learning: Guidelines for
Educators by Maurice J. Elias et al., the authors referred to social and emotional learning as “. . .
the process through which children and adults develop the skills, attitudes, and values necessary
to acquire social and emotional competence” (2). This social and emotional competence is also
known as social and emotional intelligence.
Elias et al. defined social and emotional intelligence as:
. . . the ability to understand, manage, and express the social and emotional aspects of
one’s life in ways that enable the successful management of life tasks such as learning,
forming relationships, solving everyday problems, and adapting to the complex demands
of growth and development. It includes self-awareness, control of impulsivity, working
cooperatively, and caring about oneself and others. (2)
The skills that correspond with social and emotional intelligence are essential for successful
daily living, as noted in the above quotation. Another definition of social and emotional learning
was provided in the article “What is SEL?” by The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and
Emotional Learning who described it as “. . . the process through which children and adults
understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for
others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions” (CASEL).
It is clear that these skills are necessary for students to be well-rounded individuals.
2
Educators can promote the well-being of students by developing their social-emotional
skills. Consequently, many school districts have been looking for and implementing strategies to
foster the social-emotional growth of their students. For example, according to the article
“Record High Demand for Social-Emotional Learning in US Schools,” in a survey of over 500
administrators conducted by Education Week, 90% of the involved schools have allocated funds
for social and emotional intelligence programs to use in their school districts for the 2019-2020
school year (Committee for Children). Thus, many schools have recognized the need for social-
emotional programming for their students.
In the text Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning: Research and Practice by
Celene E. Domitrovich et al., it is explained that today’s students face many pressing issues as a
result of finances, technology, and peer pressure. These problems require competencies beyond
that of a mere recital of facts and information learned at school. Domitrovich et al. noted that
many stakeholders desire to “. . . raise and educate children who are knowledgeable, responsible,
caring, and socially competent—on their way to becoming positive family members and
neighbors, contributing citizens, and productive workers” (4). Thus, some adults recognize that
there is much more that is important in a student’s education than traditional academic skills. For
instance, many educators also desire to teach their students “. . . to interact in socially skilled and
respectful ways . . . to practice safe and healthy behaviors; and to develop work habits . . .”
(Domitrovich et al.). In comparison to traditional academic knowledge, these skills are equally
important to a child’s education, future career, and their post-high school success in other areas
of life.
3
One important aspect of education that should receive greater focus is the development of
relational skills. The call for a more comprehensive education has been made by Shelly Hymel et
al. (who cited Jaffe et al.) as they observed:
Traditionally, North American schools and teacher training programs have focused
almost exclusively on the academic curriculum or what is sometimes referred to as the
“three R’s”: reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic. Yet a growing body of research points to the
importance of a fourth “R” of schooling: relationships. (1)
Therefore, educators have recognized the need to teach students more than traditional academic
content. Shelly Hymel et al. argued, “Outside of the family, schools are one of the more
pervasive socializing contexts, helping children to acquire the appropriate behaviors and values
needed to become acceptable and productive members of society” (1). Thus, engaging with
others is an integral part of a child’s learning process.
Social-emotional skills are essential for a variety of reasons. One notable benefit of
having social-emotional skills is that they can aid students throughout the learning process. For
example, Larry Brendtro et al. explained, “Many elements of learning are relational (or, based on
relationships), and social and emotional skills are essential for the successful development of
thinking and learning activities that are traditionally considered cognitive” (3). Essentially,
research has shown that social and emotional skills are an important aspect of a child’s
education. Joseph E. Zins also supported this idea in his text Building Academic Success on
Social and Emotional Learning: What Does the Research Say. Zins wrote that several research
studies have concluded “. . . social and emotional learning programs pave the way for better
academic learning” (Zins vii). He also claimed that one’s social and emotional competence is “. .
. intimately linked with cognitive development.” Thus, having social-emotional skills has been
discussed as being a critical component of learning.
4
Not only does social-emotional intelligence enrich one’s learning, but there is evidence
that suggests a low social and emotional intelligence could actually hinder the learning process.
Joseph E. Zins noted that many people make the assumption that a student’s emotions or social
skills have little to do with learning in school. However, this notion is contradicted by
neuroscience. Zins explained, “The emotional centers of the brain are intricately interwoven with
neocortical areas involved in cognitive learning. When a child trying to learn is caught up in a
distressing emotion, the centers for learning are temporarily hampered” (vii). As a result, when a
child experiences a negative emotion, his/her focus becomes consumed by the problem. Since
each person has a finite attention capacity, “. . . the child has that much less ability to hear,
understand, or remember what a teacher or book is saying.” In other words, a child’s potential to
learn is minimized when they cannot properly handle an emotion. The above statements
demonstrate the importance of social and emotional intelligence because it allows people to have
better control over their emotions. If students can learn how to better manage their feelings, they
will be more likely to be in a mental state that allows for learning to take place.
Additionally, it has been recognized that social and emotional skills even support one’s
memory. Elias et al. noted:
Processes we had considered pure “thinking” are now seen as phenomena in which the
cognitive and emotional aspects work synergistically. Brain studies show, for example,
that memory is coded, to specific events and linked to social and emotional situations,
and that the latter are integral parts of larger units of memory that make up what we learn
and retain, including what takes place in the classroom. (3)
Essentially, information is internalized when students learn in a social situation that engages their
emotions.
In the article “How Emotions Affect Learning,” Robert Sylwester commented that the
limbic system is “. . . our brain's principal regulator of emotion,” and as a result, it is a critical
part of memory processing. He stated that for this reason “. . . emotion is an important ingredient
5
in many memories.” This means that there is a direct correlation between emotions and memory.
The goal of every educator is for his/her students to not only learn, but to retain the information
and skills that they have practiced in class. A focus on social-emotional learning is essential to
optimize student learning.
Social-emotional skills are also essential post-high school and can have a direct
correlation with one’s success in a career. In Emotional Intelligence: The Complete
Psychologist’s Guide to Mastering Social Skills, Improve Your Relationships, Boost Your EQ
and Self Mastery, the author, Brandon Cooper, explained, “Research headed by Dr. Travis
Bradberry concluded that 90 percent of top performing workers in an organization possess high
emotional intelligence” (189). Therefore, the most productive workers have a well-developed
emotional quotient, which is another term for emotional intelligence.
Furthermore, a person with a developed social-emotional skill set tends to reap more
financially than those with a low social-emotional intelligence. For instance, Cooper noted,
“People with high emotional quotient also earn $29,000 more annually than their counterparts
with low emotional intelligence within the same profession” (189). Thus, it could be argued that
these relational skills have financial benefits for workers. If the mission of educators is to ensure
that students have the skills that they need in order to be successful post-graduation, they would
be remiss if they did not put an emphasis on social-emotional learning in their schools.
Educators should have access to SEL training so that they can successfully provide
students with opportunities to develop their social-emotional intelligence. A study by Britta
Wenn et al. found a correlation between the self-efficacy of student teachers and their own
emotional intelligence (31). It is important for teachers to develop their own social-emotional
skills in order to develop those same skills within their students. The study by Wenn et al. shows
6
educators believe that SEL promotes the effectiveness of their practice. Teachers should be
provided with professional development in SEL so that both educators and students can reap the
benefits.
Although many school districts would agree that there should be a greater focus on SEL,
it can be a challenge to find ways to develop social-emotional skills in students. The researcher
speculated that one way to increase the social and emotional intelligence of adolescents would be
to provide students with ballroom dancing lessons since it is a social activity. Ballroom dancing
is defined in the Encyclopaedia Britannica as a “. . . type of social dancing, originally practiced
in Europe and the United States, that is performed by couples and follows prescribed steps”
(Cohen-Stratyner). Ballroom dancing provides a person an opportunity to have a shared social
experience with his/her dance partner(s). This social activity originated in the 1600’s from court
dances, which were performed across Europe, as well as from folk dances (Cohen-Stratyner).
This means ballroom dancing is a social activity that has been around for hundreds of years. The
researcher wondered if providing students with access to ballroom dance classes would enhance
their social-emotional skills, and if so, in what ways these changes would take place.
Based on the above considerations, the researcher explored two research questions in this
study. These questions were as follows:
Q1 What potential overall effect does participating in ballroom dance have on the
social and emotional intelligence of adolescents?
Q2 Which aspects of social and emotional intelligence are best promoted by
participation in ballroom dance?
Therefore, the goal of this thesis was to determine the effect that ballroom dancing had on the
social and emotional intelligence of adolescents and to explore which areas of social-emotional
intelligence were most impacted by participating in ballroom dancing.
7
Purpose of Study
As stated above, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of ballroom
dancing on adolescents’ social-emotional intelligence. In Handbook of Social and Emotional
Learning: Research and Practice, Celene E. Domitrovich et al. warned about the dangers of not
developing students’ social-emotional intelligence. They wrote:
To the extent that we ignore SEL, we increase the likelihood that students will further
disengage from learning . . . In recent years, we have learned that large numbers of
children do not believe that the academic content they are being asked to learn has any
relevance to their lives. (xvi)
Therefore, educators need to find creative and meaningful ways to incorporate SEL into
education so that students will be more engaged and have the skills they will need to be
successful in their daily lives.
A focus on SEL can also ensure a better school climate. In the text Handbook of Social
and Emotional Learning: Research and Practice, Domitrovich et al. went on to say:
. . . large numbers [of students] report not feeling safe in school and, of greater concern,
not feeling like anyone cares about them. We can and must face the reality that many of
our children are resorting to alcohol and drugs, violence, and other risk-taking behaviors
because, from their point of view, these destructive choices make sense in the context of
their increasing disengagement from the options that education offers. (xvi)
This means that educators must find viable solutions to major problems since some students feel
unsafe, disengaged from school, and believe adults do not care about them. A focus on social-
emotional learning could address these issues.
The idea of feeling cared for and experiencing a sense of belonging is not just a
sentimental notion, but a necessity. Shelley Hymel et al. explained, “We seek proximity to others
when distressed, and feel secure to explore the environment when we feel safe in our links to
others” (2). Essentially, students are able to learn when they feel secure and connected to others.
The same authors also commented, “Belonging is now recognized as a fundamental human
8
motivation (Baumeister & Leary, 1995), and recent brain research from the emerging field of
social neuroscience suggests that we are ‘wired to connect’ with other human beings (see
Goleman, 2006)” (2). Thus, bonding with others is not just enjoyable, but vital.
The importance of belonging is also concurrent with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. In
Maslow’s philosophy, every individual must have the following needs met: physiological, safety
and security, love and belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization (McLeod). Sarah E.
Burleson and Andrew C. Thoron remarked, “These needs include friendships and family
relations . . . The need for love and belonging is often overlooked; however, this need can often
be just as important as physiological needs” (2). They explained that the necessity of connecting
with others can be fulfilled through being part of a club or activity. The enrichment activities that
some schools offer should be provided at every school since they can satiate each student’s need
to belong.
Many educators have been arguing for the inclusion of the arts in public schools because
they can provide students with motivation to come to school and enjoy their education. Access to
the arts can have a variety of other benefits for students. For instance, in the article “A Secondary
Analysis of School and Student Data from Learning in and Through the Arts: Transfer and High
Order Thinking,” Mary Hafeli and Rob Horowitz found that students who have access to the arts
tend to be more creative, are better at expressing themselves, have greater academic confidence,
and are more willing to take risks (21). Essentially, access to the arts can develop student skills
in a unique way.
Research findings have bolstered the advocacy for the arts in public schools. In the article
“Critical Evidence: How the Arts Benefit Student Achievement,” Sandra S. Ruppert reported that
the University of California at Los Angeles conducted a “. . . well-documented national study
9
using a federal database of over 25,000 middle and high school students” (8). In this study,
researchers made the following discovery:
. . . students with high arts involvement performed better on standardized achievement
tests than students with low arts involvement. Moreover, the high arts-involved students
also watched fewer hours of TV, participated in more community service and reported
less boredom in school.
Based on the above study, students who receive arts access not only benefit academically, but
live more active lifestyles.
All areas of the arts are vital to a student’s education, including dance, which is often
overlooked. Dance access can be considered crucial as it meets the need of many students with
diverse learning styles. In the article “Benefits of Dance Education in the Middle School
Setting,” Wrenn Cook explained that a dance class in school “. . . is a place where all students
can be successful” (28). Cook noted that a variety of learning styles and multiple intelligences
are used in the dance classroom (28). Dance class is often valued by students because of its
inclusive nature.
It is important to understand that more than bodily kinesthetic intelligence is used in
dance classes. For example, students utilize their logical-mathematical intelligence when
recalling the order within a dance sequence and counting music. They also use spatial
intelligence by not only accounting for their position within the room, but by remaining aware of
their proximity to other students. Cook also noted that this may be why divergent learners often
view dance class as a safe haven (28-29). Therefore, dance classes can be a way to engage
students and provide them with a safe space in school. Perhaps by providing students with access
to dance and its environment as well as the content needed to enhance their SEL, educators can
create schools that have a positive climate and transform them into places where more students
want to spend their time.
10
Furthermore, dance classes can have a direct impact on a student’s interpersonal skills.
Sandra C. Minton and Judi Hofmeister conducted a study on fifteen International Baccalaureate
students, examining how the “. . . students constructed meaning from their dance experiences”
(67). The themes that emerged from their research included, “. . . self-growth and understanding;
interpersonal growth and understanding; growth and understanding related to dance; and
understanding connections among dance, other academic areas, and work.” Thus, dance
programs can foster students’ self-development, enhance their understanding of themselves, and
give them the ability to better understand others, among various skills. These benefits are closely
related to the SEL competencies.
Overall, it is imperative that school districts find effective ways for incorporating SEL
into the curriculum and extracurricular activities so that students can feel a sense of belonging
and connectedness. Lessons that address SEL are also crucial so students can experience an
engagement with the content they are learning. Some research has been conducted that connects
ballroom dancing to benefits that are related to SEL, such as mood, but the research does not
directly refer to SEL itself. For instance, Marcin Zajenkowski et al. found that ballroom dancing,
especially in its recreational form, can have a positive impact on one’s mood (6). Other research
that has been published described the relationship between a specific SEL competency and
participation in ballroom dance, rather than making a connection to all of the SEL competencies.
For example, Rob Horowitz found a connection between empathy and ballroom dancing, but the
full results have yet to be published (Cleo Yap). The researcher wanted to more holistically
examine the relationship between the genre of ballroom dancing and SEL. Therefore, the
purpose of this study was to explore a creative way to incorporate SEL into schools by providing
students with the opportunity to ballroom dance.
11
Significance of Study
Since many school districts have been designing curricula to develop students’ social and
emotional learning, the researcher speculated that a potential way to foster students’ social and
emotional growth was by having them participate in ballroom dancing, due to its social nature.
This study was important because it could help educators find another avenue for fostering and
developing SEL in their students. Dance advocates may also find the outcome of this study to be
helpful because they may utilize the information found in this study as another justification for
developing a dance program in a school that is without one. They could also use the information
from this study to advocate for the expansion of a dance program that currently does not include
ballroom dancing.
The ballroom dance community may benefit from this study as well because there needs
to be more research on the potential benefits of participation in this dance genre. Much of the
research that has been conducted on ballroom dancing involves an adult population. For
example, researchers have made many breathtaking discoveries about the impact that ballroom
dancing has had upon seniors. In the article “Ballroom Dance: Linking Serious Leisure to
Successful Aging,” Regena G. Stevens-Ratchford commented that ballroom dancing allows one
to “. . . enhance overall successful aging by promoting long standing participation in physical
and social activities” (290). She defined successful aging as one’s ability to “. . . embody
engagement with life that include[s] longstanding participation in a variety of activities” (290).
Essentially, ballroom dancing allows seniors to continue to partake in leisure or recreational
activities.
Additionally, in the article “Balance, Sensorimotor, and Cognitive Performance in Long-
Year Expert Senior Ballroom Dancers,” Kattenstroth et al. found that multiple years of ballroom
12
dancing, even as an amateur can “. . . exert beneficial effects not only on balance and posture but
also on tactile, motor, and cognitive functions in older people” (1). Thus, ballroom dancing has
both physical and mental benefits for seniors.
It has also been documented that ballroom dancing aids those with dementia. Azucena
Guzmán-García et al. conducted a study on patients with dementia to see if ballroom dancing
could provide a non-pharmacological intervention for seniors (524). These researchers found that
the benefits of participation in Danzón (Latin ballroom) included decreased anxiety as well as
elevated mood, confidence, and happiness (529). The same researchers also found that
participation impacted the patients’ mobility, affective states, and reminiscence (530). These
same researchers even discovered that participation in ballroom dance had benefits for patients
who were spectators and could not participate due to physical limitations (530). It is clear that
ballroom dancing can benefit seniors in a variety of ways.
Essentially, ballroom dancing has been proven to be a powerful tool in providing both
physical and mental wellness to senior citizens. One may theorize that similar discoveries could
be found through further explorations of the benefits of ballroom dancing for adolescents.
Although some research has been conducted regarding the benefits of ballroom dance for youth,
more studies need to be done that link ballroom dancing to the education of students. If
researchers are able to collect more information regarding the way this genre impacts youth,
dance educators would be able to better advocate for the necessity of ballroom dance programs.
This was why the researcher’s goal was to examine the potential benefit of ballroom dancing on
the social and emotional development of youth.
13
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The interest in this study was to establish a possible relationship between
participation in ballroom dance and the development of social and emotional intelligence
among adolescent students. This chapter will provide contextual information on topics including
social-emotional intelligence as well as ballroom dancing.
What is Social and Emotional
Intelligence?
There has been an increased interest in social and emotional intelligence in the
last twenty years because large corporations and other types of employers consider it to
be one of the keys to success in the workplace. Therefore, many schools and organizations have
made efforts to develop and utilize programs that increase one’s social and emotional
intelligence. Social intelligence and emotional intelligence are sometimes referred to separately
by theorists. However, they are also used together at times because there is overlap between
these two forms of intelligence.
Defining Social Intelligence
In the online summary of their text Social Intelligence, John F. Kihlstrom and Nancy
Cantor define social intelligence as “. . . the individual's fund of knowledge about the social
world.” Essentially, social intelligence is a form of knowledge that allows people to successfully
navigate their relationships. Social intelligence is one’s ability to have healthy and meaningful
communication with others. In the article “What is Social Intelligence,” Daniel Goleman
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explained that social intelligence has two main components: “. . . social awareness, what we
sense about others—and social facility, what we then do with that awareness.” Both social
awareness and social facility are integral parts of social intelligence.
Daniel Goleman stated in the article “What is Social Intelligence” that social awareness
includes having empathy, being able to properly identify someone else’s emotions or thoughts,
and understanding complex social interactions. He defined social facility as one’s ability to use
his or her social awareness to effectively communicate with others. He explained, “. . . social
facility includes self-presentation, influence concern, and synchrony (interacting smoothly at the
nonverbal level).” It is important to have developed both social awareness and social facility
because as Goleman noted, “. . . simply sensing how another feels, or knowing what they think
or intend, does not guarantee fruitful interactions.” In other words, a person must utilize both
their social awareness and social facility for effective communication to occur.
Defining Emotional Intelligence
In the article “The Intelligence of Emotional Intelligence,” John D. Mayer and Peter
Salovey indicated that an emotionally intelligent person has “. . . the ability to monitor one's own
and others' emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use the information to guide one's
thinking and actions.” Essentially, it is an awareness of emotions that informs thoughts and
decisions. In his book, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, Daniel
Goleman described emotional intelligence as having the skills to “. . . motivate oneself and
persist in the face of frustrations; to control impulse and delay gratification; to regulate one’s
mood and keep distress from swamping the ability to think; to empathize and to hope” (34).
Therefore, a developed emotional intelligence allows people to have a strong will and the ability
to control their thoughts, moods, and actions.
15
Defining Social and Emotional
Intelligence
Social and emotional intelligence, also referred to as social and emotional competence, is
one’s ability to maintain positive relationships with others and to manage one’s own feelings. In
the article “Importance of Social and Emotional Competence for Teachers, for Very Young
Children and for At-Risk Students: Latest Research,” Rebecca Collie et al. explained that when
people are socially and emotionally competent, they possess “. . . the skills that help [them] to
interact in positive ways with others and manage [their] own emotions.” The authors also noted
that social and emotional intelligence enriches one’s “. . . relationship skills, confidence, coping
skills, self-regulation and self-awareness.” Additionally, in the article “What is Social and
Emotional Intelligence?” by the website Thoughtful Learning, social and emotional intelligence
was defined as a student’s capacity to:
identify, manage, and express emotions constructively; control impulses; express
empathy; persevere when things get difficult and challenging; communicate and [relate]
effectively with others; work collaboratively in groups; negotiate and resolve differences
in a win/win manner.
Essentially, having a developed social and emotional intelligence allows people to effectively
manage their personal thoughts and feelings as well as their relationships with others.
The Importance of Both Social and
Emotional Intelligence
It is important to have an understanding of social intelligence and emotional intelligence
as two separate concepts. However, it can be difficult and counterintuitive to separate social
intelligence from emotional intelligence or to focus on one more than the other because they are
intertwined in many ways. For example, in the article “What is Social Intelligence,” Goleman
said, “Psychologists argue about which human abilities are social and which are emotional.
Small wonder: The two domains intermingle, just as the brain’s social real estate overlaps with
16
its emotional centers.” Thus, there is even a physical connection between the two areas within
the brain responsible for these functions. This bolsters the idea that both concepts should be
holistically regarded.
In the article “What is Social Intelligence,” Goleman also noted that when social
intelligence is categorized as part of emotional intelligence rather than seen as its own equally
important category, it “. . . stunts fresh thinking about the human aptitude for relationship,
ignoring what transpires as we interact. This myopia leaves the ‘social’ part out of intelligence.”
As a result, it is equally important in the field of education to explore the significance of both
social and emotional intelligence. Furthermore, Paulo N. Lopes et al. stated, “Two studies found
positive relationships between the ability to manage emotions and the quality of social
interactions . . .” (1018). It is clear that there is a direct connection between a person’s emotions
and his or her relationships. By focusing on both aspects, one can gain a clearer picture of an
individual and how he or she is situated in the world.
What is Social and Emotional
Learning?
According to Committee for Children, in the article “What is Social-Emotional
Learning,” social and emotional learning (SEL) was defined as “. . . the process of developing
the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life
success.” In her article, “What is Social-Emotional Learning and How Does It Affect Kids,”
Kate Stringer stated that SEL is “. . . a method of promoting holistic child development by
teaching students skills such as self-regulation, persistence, empathy, self-awareness, and
mindfulness.” Therefore, SEL allows students to enhance their social skills as well as manage
their feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and actions.
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Components of Social and
Emotional Learning
Various theorists have developed different terms for categorizing the skills that are
developed through SEL. Five SEL competence domains were described in the model presented
by Celene E. Domitrovich et al. in their text Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning:
Research and Practice. They included, “. . . self-awareness, self-management, social awareness,
relationship skills, and responsible decision making” (6). Hunter Gehlbach categorized the skills
learned through SEL in his work “Panorama Social Emotional Learning Survey” as student
competencies, and wrote about grit, growth mindset, self-management, social awareness, self-
efficacy, and emotional regulation (6). Although the terminology was slightly different, both the
model created by Domitrovich et al. and the one designed by Gehlbach were convergent.
The researcher drew parallels between the two previously mentioned models in the
sections below. However, she used the terminology of Domitrovich et al. throughout the rest of
this thesis as she felt it was more streamlined. The researcher also focused on self-awareness,
self-management, social awareness, and relationship skills in her research. This was because she
speculated these skills would be most relevant to her study as well as to narrow the scope of this
research. Therefore, those are the four categories that were defined below.
Explanation of Self-Awareness
Domitrovich et al. stated that being proficient in the self-awareness category requires one
to be cognizant of his or her “. . . emotions, personal goals, and values” (6). Self-awareness
allows a person to determine his or her weaknesses and strengths and to have an optimistic
outlook (Domitrovich et al. 6). Self-awareness also involves self-efficacy, which Gehlbach
described as, “How much students believe they can succeed in achieving academic outcomes”
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(6). Although Gehlbach referred to academic achievement and self-efficacy, they can also relate
in general to a person’s belief in his or her ability to attain a variety of goals.
Description of Self-Management
The self-management domain relates to one’s capacity for managing his or her feelings
and controlling one’s behaviors (Domitrovich et al. 6). It requires one to “. . . delay gratification,
manage stress, control impulses, and persevere through challenges in order to achieve personal
and educational goals” (6). Gehlbach defined this ability as “grit,” which allows one to “. . .
persevere through setbacks to achieve important long-term goals” (6). Furthermore, the
organization Transforming Education stated in their article “Self-Management Toolkit” that this
skill enables children to “. . . follow through on plans to complete assignments, study for tests,
and stay focused in class.” These same authors also noted that it enables adults to “. . . [reach]
goals related to learning or life, like developing a new professional skill or keeping to a diet.”
Therefore, self-management is the self-control or discipline one exercises in order to meet his or
her goals.
Clarification of Social Awareness
Gehlbach described social awareness as one’s ability to “. . . consider the perspectives of
others and empathize with them” (6). It also includes the ability to recognize social norms
(Domitrovich et al. 6-7). Domitrovich et al. added that social awareness involves being able to
locate and utilize familial, academic, and community-based support systems (7). Finally, social
awareness can refer to “A child’s capacity to interact with others in a way that shows respect for
their ideas and behaviors, recognizes her/his impact on them, and uses cooperation and tolerance
in social situations” (Biro). Thus, social awareness enables one to understand others and allows
that knowledge to inform how one interacts with people.
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Explanation of Relationship Skills
The relationship skills domain entails having the skills to “. . . establish and maintain
healthy and rewarding relationships” (Domitrovich et al. 7). Being proficient in this area also
necessitates “. . . communicating clearly, listening actively, cooperating, resisting inappropriate
social pressure, negotiating conflict constructively, and seeking help when it is needed” (7).
Domitrovich et al. added that having relationship skills also requires one to understand and
adhere to social norms (7). Nora Biro provided a slightly different description of relationship
skills when she wrote these skills include, “A child’s consistent performance of socially
acceptable actions that promote and maintain positive connections with others.” Essentially,
relationship skills allow people to engage with others in a way that is safe, healthy, and
beneficial for both parties.
The History of Social-Emotional
Learning
The term social-emotional learning was developed in the late 1900’s. However, the core
beliefs of SEL have been held by educators and philosophers for much longer. A brief history of
the development of SEL is described below.
How the Concept of Social-Emotional
Learning Originated and Developed
One could argue that SEL has ancient origins, despite the fact that the term had not been
coined until the 20th century. In the article “Social and Emotional Learning: A Short History,”
the writer informed readers:
As with many western ideas, the roots of SEL are as old as ancient Greece. When Plato
wrote about education in The Republic, he proposed a holistic curriculum that requires a
balance of training in physical education, the arts, math, science, character, and moral
judgment. ‘By maintaining a sound system of education and upbringing, you produce
citizens of good character,’ he explained. (Edutopia)
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Although some educators may see SEL as a fad or trend, it appears to be related to an
educational philosophy that has been around for some time. Both SEL and Plato’s philosophy
champion a more holistic approach to education.
As explained in “Social and Emotional Learning: A Short History,” much later, in the
1960s, James Comer created the Comer School of Development Program through the Yale
School of Medicine’s Child Study Center (Edutopia). In 1988, he wrote about this experience in
the Scientific American. He philosophized, ". . . the contrast between a child's experiences at
home and those in school deeply affects the child's psychosocial development and that this in
turn shapes academic achievement” (Edutopia). Thus, one’s emotional and social skills were
seen as an integral factor in student success.
The article “Social and Emotional Learning: A Short History” also explained that the
integration of the Comer School Development Program allowed two schools in New Haven,
Connecticut to go from having “. . . the worst attendance and the lowest academic achievement
in the city” to exceeding the national average for academic performance and improving their
truancy record (Edutopia). The success of this program allowed the SEL movement to gain
traction and sparked further research. Thus, the idea that one’s mental and social skills must be
developed in school made its way back into the field of education.
In the article “Social and Emotional Learning: A Short History,” it was also noted that in
1994, the idea of social and emotional learning gained popularity (Edutopia). The Collaborative
to Advance Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) was formed in 1994 and they held their
first conference in that same year. For years, this organization has been known for its research
and advocacy in the SEL movement. Nine members of CASEL worked together to write the text
Promoting Social and Emotional Learning: Guidelines for Educators. SEL’s growing popularity
21
could also be attributed to the 1995 text Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than
IQ, written by Goleman.
The Implementation of Social-
Emotional Learning
Since the 1990s, the SEL movement has been esteemed by many educators. According to
Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning: Research and Practice, written in 2015, “. . . the
past 20 years have witnessed an explosion of interest in social and emotional learning (SEL)”
(Domitrovich et al. 3). These authors noted that research has been done on over five hundred
SEL programs. They also explained that thousands of schools in the United States and abroad
have implemented SEL programs. Thus, it appears that the SEL movement has gained great
popularity in the education community throughout the United States as well as on an
international scale.
Additionally, in 2004, Illinois was the first state to create K-12 SEL standards.
Domitrovich et al. also shared, “Currently, all 50 states have preschool social and emotional
development standards, and many states and some countries . . . have integrated SEL into their
student academic learning standards” (4). There have also been legislative attempts to promote
SEL such as the Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning Act and the renewal of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act to provide funding for training educators in SEL and
for supporting these initiatives (4). Essentially, the SEL movement has been around for a while
and has continued to gain momentum.
How is Social-Emotional
Intelligence Developed
in Students?
In the article “Approaches,” those involved with the CASEL program provided some
strategies that are important for developing SEL in students. These include modeling positive
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behaviors, prompting students to resolve conflicts, and holding classroom meetings in which the
class as a whole makes decisions and creates classroom norms (“Approaches”). The CASEL
authors also noted it can be beneficial to coach students to “. . . recognize how they feel or how
someone else might be feeling.” Thus, this process involves helping students to be self-aware
and socially aware. It is evident that developing SEL requires work from both teachers and
students.
The CASEL article “Approaches” also highlighted the importance of learning teamwork
through sports and activities. These authors stated that problem-solving skills can be taught by
examining historical events as well. CASEL also encouraged “. . . cross-age mentoring, in which
a younger student is paired with an older one” because it can develop “. . . self-confidence, a
sense of belonging, and [enhance] academic skills.” They also observed that reflective listening
can be taught by having pairs of students explain a situation to his or her partner and then asking
the partner to repeat what was said. These are some of the many strategies that educators can use
to develop SEL in their students. Essentially, the development of SEL is fostered by partner and
group work as well as modeling and prompting by the teacher.
The Future of Social-Emotional
Learning
Much has been accomplished in the SEL movement since its beginning. For instance, a
variety of SEL programs have been created and are being utilized in schools around the globe.
However, there is more work to be done to continue developing, spreading, and implementing
this philosophy. For instance, Domitrovich et al. suggested the need for more research, which
would “. . . identify the active ingredients and core components of successful programs” (13).
This would ensure the effectiveness of SEL programming. They also stated that it would be
beneficial to research “. . . key biomarkers of physical health” (14). They explained that this
23
would be helpful because “. . . it is likely that some SEL interventions might obtain important
effects in this area.” Thus, a key component in the effective implementation of and advocacy for
SEL would be further research on this educational philosophy and its benefits.
Benefits of Social-Emotional
Learning
There are a variety of benefits that students reap from being exposed to social-emotional
learning content. Some of these benefits are discussed below.
Mental Benefits
According to the Committee for Children, SEL can benefit one’s mental wellness. In the
article “Promoting Mental Health Through SEL,” the authors stated:
Positive social skills are protective factors for mental health. Teaching youth
mindfulness, coping skills, communication skills, relaxation techniques, self-regulation,
and emotion identification and management equips them with tools and resources to
address mental health challenges that interfere with learning.
Many of the skills referred to above are addressed through social-emotional learning. Thus, SEL
can benefit one’s mental well-being.
Additionally, SEL can have an impact on the brain itself. In the article “Four Major
Benefits of Social/Emotional Learning,” the organization Options for Youth stated, “Research
suggests that SEL programs actually affect central executive cognitive functions which improves
students’ inhibitory control, planning, and ability to switch attention from one task to the other.”
Therefore, SEL can allow students to develop their brain, which in turn influences their impulse
control and focus.
Physical Benefits
People may be surprised to discover that social-emotional learning can even benefit a
student’s physical health. Domitrovich et al. commented, “Environments that are chronically
24
stressful lead to physiological changes that place children at risk for long-term health and mental
health consequences” (81). These health complications include “. . . colds, skin conditions, and
psychosomatic disorders, as well as anxiety and depression . . .” (87). Domitrovich et al. also
described one study in which the researchers found that children who “. . . had higher levels of
chronic home-life stress” also had worse asthma symptoms (87). Furthermore, many studies have
found “. . . negative emotions, coping styles, and management of stress are predictive of a variety
of adult [diseases] and morbidity” (87). It is clear that a stressful lifestyle can fuel many health
complications.
Therefore, if SEL programs can teach students to effectively cope and manage their
stress, one could argue that involvement with its content could have a positive effect on their
health. Domitrovich et al. supported this claim when they observed, “Current research and theory
create a logical basis on which to hypothesize that building social and emotional competencies
could positively influence short- and long-term health outcomes” (82). Thus, if schools offer
programs that enrich a child’s social-emotional intelligence, it could promote long-term physical
health benefits for children.
Emotional Benefits
People with a developed social-emotional intelligence are more likely to experience
contentment. In a study conducted by Mark A. Chee and Peggy Choong, the researchers found
that having a developed emotional intelligence has a correlation with a person’s happiness. They
analyzed four parts of emotional intelligence in their study: regulating one’s own emotions,
leveraging emotions, understanding one’s own emotions, and appraising others’ emotions (111).
They wrote, “The analysis indicates that all four elements of EI [Emotional Intelligence] are
positive and significantly related to happiness. Thus, making EI part of the curricula and the core
25
competency of student[s] would increase their overall performance and happiness ratings” (111).
It can be deduced that social-emotional intelligence can have a positive impact on a person’s
happiness.
Educational Benefits
Social-emotional intelligence can academically benefit students. Qaiser Suleman et al.
conducted a study on 186 students who were undergraduates at the Kohat University of Science
& Technology (KUST), in Pakistan. In their study, they concluded, “. . . emotional intelligence
can predict students’ academic success” (Suleman et al. 19). They discovered that there was a
correlation between emotional intelligence and a student’s Cumulative GPA (18). They also
noted that the greater one’s emotional intelligence, the better his or her academic success will be
(18). They also indicated that there were five “predictors of academic success” (18). They stated:
. . . self-development was rated to be the strongest predictor of academic success
followed by emotional stability, managing relations, altruistic behavior, and commitment.
It undoubtedly reveals that with the increasing level of these subdimensions, academic
success will be positively affected. (19)
Therefore, as demonstrated in the above study, SEL can have various educational benefits and
can help develop the student as a whole.
Lifelong Benefits
In the article “Why Social Emotional Learning is Essential for Students,” Roger
Weissberg synthesized the lifelong profits of being involved with SEL as found by Hawkins et
al. when he explained:
In the long run, greater social and emotional competence can increase the likelihood of
high school graduation, readiness for postsecondary education, career success, positive
family and work relationships, better mental health, reduced criminal behavior, and
engaged citizenship.
26
Therefore, students reap many enduring and long-lasting positive outcomes from opportunities to
experience SEL content. SEL programming can also have academic, relational, health, and civic
benefits.
These long-term benefits were also discussed in the article “Social-Emotional Learning
Boosts Students’ Scores, Graduation Rates, Even Earnings, New Study Finds” by individuals at
The 74. They explained:
Research shows a 6 percent improvement in high school graduation rates for SEL
students and an 11 percent improvement in college attendance and degree attainment.
Students are also less likely to be high school dropouts, have an STD diagnosis, be
arrested, or have a clinical mental health disorder. Researchers also showed monetary
benefits for students who have achieved the positive impacts or avoided the negative
ones: A high school diploma is worth a lifetime benefit of $367,687, and avoiding an
arrest is worth $175,702 (these are 2015 numbers, adjusted for U.S. inflation). (The 74)
Thus, SEL programs can provide long-lasting academic, health, and financial benefits.
What is Ballroom Dancing?
In the article called “Ballroom Dance,” New World Encyclopedia defined ballroom
dancing as “. . . a set of learned partner dances, which are enjoyed socially and engaged in
competitively around the globe.” Ballroom dance includes “Any of the various social dances,
such as the foxtrot, tango, or waltz, in which couples follow a conventional pattern of steps . . .”
Therefore, ballroom dancing is a style in which two people dance together.
The dance partnership is comprised of a person who leads (known as the leader) and
another dancer (known as the follower) who engage in various movement patterns as they dance
together. It is important for the partnership to maintain “. . . physical contact through their upper
or lower bodies, or simply through their arms depending on the particular dance” (“Ballroom
Dance,” New World Encyclopedia). The article “Ballroom Dance” by New World Encyclopedia
also explained, “Since most social dancing is not choreographed, this contact is necessary for the
27
leader to communicate the next dance move to the follower, and for the follower to respond to
this lead.” Essentially, the dance couple must be able send and interpret physical cues in order to
dance together.
Over the years, the philosophy of leading and following has changed. Richard Powers
proposed that the role of the leader is to:
. . . clearly [suggest] an option, which is different from controlling their partners. They
propose, not prescribe, a certain way of moving. If their partners don't go with their
proposal (do not 'follow'), they refrain from exerting more power to force partners to
accept the proposal.
Thus, effective leaders clearly communicate nonverbally or cue their partner about the next
pattern without physically controlling them. Richard Powers suggested that the role of the
follower is to “. . . interpret cues and signals, with a keen responsiveness that is highly active,
personal, musical and creative.” Thus, the role of the follower is active rather than passive. It is
important for a couple to have meaningful nonverbal communication in order to have an
effective partnership.
Ballroom Dancing History
Ballroom dancing is a genre that has been around for hundreds of years. According to
New World Encyclopedia:
The term ‘ballroom dancing’ is derived from the word ball, which in turn originates from
the Latin word ballare which means ‘to dance.’ Its evolution most likely came from
simple folk dancing enjoyed by the peasant classes which were then formalized by the
upper class nobility during the time of the Enlightenment. (“Ballroom Dance”)
Thus, this genre originated as a social dance, which became more structured. Jonathan S.
Marion, in his text Ballroom Dance and Glamour, explained that the origins of ballroom dancing
were from European royal courts in the 1500s (11). He said:
With France as the leading European power of the time, the formal balls and dancing of
King Louis XIV’s court in Versailles provided a model for Europe. The trends started at
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the time eventually evolved in two different ways: into the performance-directed genre of
ballet and the socially based genre of ballroom. (11)
Therefore, ballroom dance can be either performance-based or social in nature.
In more modern times, ballroom dancing has two main aspects: the social and the
competitive. Jonathan S. Marion noted that in 1909 the first unofficial world competition was
held. He shared that later, in 1920, “. . . the standardization and codification of acceptable steps”
began. This led to the competitive realm of ballroom dancing known as DanceSport.
Some Ballroom Subgenres and
their Histories
Today, ballroom dancing is a genre made up of subgenres including waltz, tango, foxtrot,
cha cha, rumba, samba, and others. These dances are derived from various parts of the globe and
consequently each dance has its own unique history, culture, and character. For example, the
waltz in known to have originated in Austria, the tango has roots in Argentina and Africa, and
the foxtrot is from the United States (“Ballroom Dance,” New World Encyclopedia).
A popular subgenre of ballroom is the waltz. It was aptly named since the word “waltz”
originated from the German word “walzen,” which means “to turn” (Pilar Queralt Del Hierro).
Although the waltz today would be considered a sophisticated and conservative dance, it was
scandalous when it first emerged in the 1700s. Maria Pilar Queralt Del Hierro remarked, “The
waltz was a far cry from the precise choreography of a dance like the minuet, which generally
kept dancers at arms’ length from each other. The waltz allowed partners to be close and place
their arms around one another as they spun around the floor.” Thus, the close contact of the
partners created controversy among conservatives. Despite the objections, this style of dancing
only increased in popularity. For instance, about half of Vienna’s population attended thousands
of balls in 1832 (Pilar Queralt Del Hierro).
29
The tango is another popular style of ballroom dancing. The tango originated in
Argentina, but shares African and European influences. Marcelo Solis stated, “Between 1871
and 1915, Argentina received 5 million immigrants, mostly Europeans. Almost all of them
stayed in Buenos Aires” (3). In addition to the Europeans, Argentina’s population was largely
comprised of Afro-Argentineans, “. . . descendants of the African slaves, [who] had been
populating since 1813’s abolition of slavery.” Before the Europeans arrived, the Afro-
Argentineans “. . . constituted one-third of the population.” Thus, the tango has roots from a
variety of cultures as it developed in the culturally diverse Buenos Aires.
The tango is also an example of the development of social dancing as a whole. Marcelo
Solis explained:
In the origins of social dances, we observe no physical contact between partners; then
they take each other hands, developing the ‘minuet’ during the 1600s; which led to
dancing in each [other’s] arms, with the ‘waltz’ in the 1700s. The direction of the
evolution of social partner dancing becomes evident: a closing of the distance between
the partners that culminates in the embrace of tango. (5)
The tango represents the cultural shifts that occurred over time and is often considered an
intimate dance, likely because of the close proximity of the partners.
The samba, a popular form of ballroom dance, originated in Brazil. According to PBS,
“The rhythms of samba, as well as the word itself, were brought to Brazil by West African
slaves. Because it can carry overtones of sadness or regret, samba has often been compared to the
blues in the U.S.” (“Ballroom Dance Styles”). Furthermore, it is thought that the term “samba”
comes from “. . . the Kimbundu (Angolan) term semba, which referred to an ‘invitation to dance’
as well as a common appellation for the dance parties held by slaves and former slaves in the
rural areas of Rio” (“A História do Samba”). These dances are known for their “. . . gyrating hip
movements (called umbigada)” and can be traced to “. . . the colonial period in the Congolese
30
and Angolan circle dances” (“A História do Samba”). Samba grew popular internationally “. . .
after an exhibition in Paris in 1905” (PBS). Later, samba became popular in the U.S. because of
the celebrity Carmen Miranda.
As evidenced by the brief description of a few ballroom genres, it is clear that each
ballroom dance has a unique and rich history and cultural expression. It is important to give
students the opportunity to learn these dances as it may increase their cultural and social
awareness. This in turn may develop their empathy and social skills.
International v. American Style
There are two different categories of ballroom dancing: International and American.
International Ballroom has two main styles: Standard and Latin. The waltz, tango, foxtrot,
Viennese waltz, and quickstep compose the International Standard dances. The cha cha, rumba,
jive, paso doble, and samba are considered International Latin dances.
American Ballroom is comprised of two main styles: Smooth and Rhythm. The waltz,
tango, foxtrot, and Viennese waltz are considered American Smooth dances. The cha cha, rumba,
east coast swing, bolero, and mambo are the American Rhythm dances.
Although International and American styles share the same kind of dances, their
execution is different. For example, Sarah Stanila explained, “The American Smooth style of
dance is loosely similar to the International Standard style of dance, with the main difference
being that Smooth uses more separated and open figures, and International Standard is
exclusively made up of closed figures.” In other words, American Smooth dancers share less
body contact. She also noted, “International style is all about the connection with your partner—
dancers stick close together and lead and follow and move around one common center as they
dance. The open position of American ballroom is not acceptable in the International style.”
Latin and Rhythm dances vary in terms of technique and even counting. For example, according
31
to Victor Eijkhout, “. . . the rumba dances are dissimilar, even in their basic counts, with steps on
counts 1, 3, 4 for American and 2, 3, 4 for int'l. Most importantly, the hip motion differs: in
American style, one steps onto a bent leg; in int'l style, [the step is] onto a straight leg.” Another
key distinction between International and American styles is explained in the following way:
“[The] American [style] is typically a social style and [the] International [form] tends to be
performed in competitions” (Stanila). Despite the fact that the International and American styles
share many of the same dances, there are many differences in terms of technique, execution, and
even purpose.
Prior Research on the Benefits of
Ballroom Dancing
There are a variety of benefits that people can reap from ballroom dancing. This genre of
dance has been known to mentally, emotionally, and physically enrich people’s lives. Some of
these benefits are described below.
Mental Benefits
Ballroom dancing, and dancing in general, offers a variety of mental benefits. In the
article, “Ballroom Dance: An Education Like No Other,” Carrie Pledger reasoned:
Despite the paucity of studies, the medical research to date has consistently shown
neurological benefits of dance both physically and mentally. Dance is more than
entertainment; it is important in building neural circuitry, and these connections translate
into improved functioning in daily life activities. (61)
Thus, ballroom dancing can improve the way the brain works, which can help people have better
function in general. Pledger also explained that dance requires the use of “. . . mental skills that
strengthen the neural pathways employed in academic tasks, social interaction, and motor-
perception” (62). The development of these neural pathways can allow people to be successful in
a variety of areas. She also argued that leading and/or following in ballroom dancing “. . .
32
requires an amount of cognitive flexibility and social intelligence.” Essentially, ballroom dancing
engages multiple areas of the mind.
In a study conducted on twelve participants who had a serious mental illness (SMI), the
researchers found that social dancing had mental health benefits. Madeleine E. Hackney and
Gammon M. Earhart noted:
Participants with SMI who received 8-10 hours of instruction in progressive salsa lessons
significantly improved in functional mobility and showed tendencies toward
improvement on standard clinical measures of endurance, balance confidence, depression
and anxiety. (10)
Therefore, the participants reaped both mental and physical benefits from partner dancing.
Physical Benefits
Ballroom dancing is not only performed for recreation, but also for exercise. In her
article, “Ballroom Dance: An Education Like No Other,” Carrie Pledger noted, “. . . dance is a
form of exercise that people are willing to do in order to meet their cardiovascular needs.
Participants enjoy dance, and most intend to continue dancing as a life-long form of physical
activity” (62). Therefore, ballroom dance can serve as an enjoyable form of exercise, which
promotes health and wellness.
Waltzing has even been found to be beneficial for one’s cardiovascular health. After
conducting a study with 130 participants, Romualdo Belardinelli et al. concluded:
In patients with stable chronic heart failure, waltz dancing is safe and able to improve
functional capacity and endothelium-dependent dilation similar to traditional aerobic
exercise training. Waltz dancing may be considered in clinical practice in combination
with aerobic exercise training or as an alternative to it. (107)
Therefore, ballroom dancing is a safe and healthy way to provide people with cardiovascular
exercise as well as other benefits.
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Another study on seventy-nine children between the ages of nine to eleven found that
ballroom dancing classes provided the children with the physical activity that they needed.
Shirley Y. Huang et al. stated:
Students participating in this study were able to achieve levels of PA [Physical Activity]
that are recommended by Healthy People 2010. The ballroom dance program promoted
MVPA [moderate to vigorous physical activity] during at least 50% of the class time in 9
to 11 year old children. The students taking part in the ballroom dance program had a
mean time of 30.1 minutes of MVPA per class period, which was consistent with the
suggestion of Healthy People 2010 to maintain PA at least 50% of school class period
time as well as the recommendation for 30 minutes of MVPA. (5)
This means ballroom dance classes can allow children to maintain the recommended levels of
physical activity they need.
Social-Emotional Benefits
Although she was not referring specifically to ballroom dance programs, Karen Schupp
argued that dance programs in general can teach students the skill of cooperation. For instance,
she wrote:
Dance students are already engaged in collaboration as they learn to make, perform,
respond to, and critically think about dance . . . Because dance education naturally calls
on collaboration in the dance classroom, increasing students’ awareness of collaboration
and proficiency as collaborators is less about creating new classroom experiences and
more about making the implicit aspects of dance learning explicit. (157)
In other words, Schupp argued that dance in and of itself requires and fosters teamwork, but that
this function can be further enhanced when dance educators highlight its role in the classroom.
The skill of collaboration is an important social skill for students to possess and can be fostered
through social dancing, which requires students to directly engage with a partner.
Not only does dance provide students with collaborative skills, it is the duty of the
educator to ensure this occurs. For instance, Mary Fitzgerald stated:
Although somewhat controversial among social science experts, Dhavan Shah, Nojin
Kwak, and Lance Holbert (2001) pointed out that due to the explosion of social media,
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young Americans demonstrate a more passive interest in the civic life of their
communities than ever before. I am convinced that in addition to advancing the art form,
dance educators can make a significant difference in the reversal of this trend and redirect
the focus of a self-driven culture by giving community-building skills the same weight as
other learning outcomes. (7)
Although her article was specific to contemporary dance, it was still applicable to other genres.
Ballroom dance teachers can foster collaboration in their students because the genre lends itself
to working with another person. Students must share the same space, look someone else in the
eyes, and maintain physical contact when they ballroom dance. Furthermore, the dance couple
must work as a team in order to move together as one. By providing students with access to
ballroom dancing, educators are reversing the trend that Fitzgerald was describing above and
replacing it with the act of seeing and connecting with others.
There are some ballroom dancing programs, specifically designed to promote social-
emotional intelligence. For example, the nonprofit program known as Dancing Classrooms “. . .
brings ballroom dancing to schools primarily in underserved communities” (Cleo Yap). Dancing
Classrooms was founded in 1994 by the dancer Pierre Dulaine. The goal of this program is to use
“. . . ballroom [dance] as a vehicle for teaching elementary- and middle-schoolers social-
emotional skills like respect and teamwork and, by extension, empathy.” Audrey Cleo Yap
noted, “In a 2014-2015 survey of L.A.-area school principals, 66 percent reported an ‘increased
acceptance of others’ among their student bodies, while 81 percent of students said they treated
others with more respect, following the program.” Therefore, the program seems to have had
success in providing students with SEL opportunities.
Although some research has been conducted on ballroom dance and SEL, the outcomes
are still in need of further research. Audrey Cleo Yap shared:
Rob Horowitz, the associate director of the Center for Arts Education Research at
Columbia University’s Teachers College, recently conducted a two-year study on the
35
program in New York City whose results have yet to be published. In year one (2013-14)
of the study, 95 percent of teachers reported their students improved cooperative and
collaborative skills; researchers observed 95 percent of students demonstrating
cooperative skills.
It will be interesting to see the results of this research as it could be used to give educators a
better understanding of the connection between ballroom dancing and SEL. Rob Horowitz
remarked, “Empathy is hard to observe, but we do see kids helping each other with the dance or
seeming to care about each other. We know that we can’t reduce everything from the arts to a
number, but we work on it” (Cleo Yap). Therefore, the development of social-emotional skills
through ballroom dance, which can be difficult to measure, must be further examined by more
researchers.
Ballroom Dance Access in Public
Schools
Student access to ballroom dancing in the U.S. has significantly decreased in less than
one hundred years. In the article, “Ballroom Dance: An Education Like No Other,” Carrie
Pledger explained, “In the 1920s over half of the US public schools taught some form of partner
dance. Yet by the 2000s only 20% of elementary schools offered dance” (61). She noted that this
problem exists because there is not a clear distinction in school districts as to whether teaching
ballroom dance is the responsibility of art or physical education programs. She explained:
Arts programs primarily focus on visual and fine arts, while physical education programs
cater primarily to sports activities. In an effort to prioritize activities for each program,
dance is often left out of both programs rather than having an increased opportunity for
receiving support.
She summarized the results of this lack of prioritizing for dance in the following comments: “. . .
funding is lost for dance programs, opportunities decline, students do not actively seek
participation, and little scientific research is performed on the topic of dance to promote its
continuation in the education system.” Therefore, many schools today are without ballroom
36
dancing programs. This means that students are missing out on the benefits that these ballroom
dance programs could offer. Dance educators must continue to promote and advocate for the
inclusion of ballroom dance programs in public schools since they can enrich the lives of
students in a plethora of ways.
37
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
The researcher will provide an account of the overall process that was used to execute the
study in this chapter. It will include an explanation of the type of research that was conducted
and information on the participants. It will also contain a description of the research tools and
how they were developed, the procedures for data collection, as well as the process the
researcher used in order to analyze the data.
Research Perspective and Type
The goal of this research was to determine the effect that ballroom dancing had on the
social and emotional intelligence of adolescents and to examine which areas of social-emotional
intelligence were most affected by participating in ballroom dancing. The purpose of this study
was to answer the following research questions:
Q1 What potential overall effect does participating in ballroom dance have on the
social and emotional intelligence of adolescents?
Q2 Which aspects of social and emotional intelligence are best promoted by
participation in ballroom dance?
The researcher compiled and utilized both quantitative and qualitative measures in order
to answer these questions. One quantitative instrument included pre-surveys and post-surveys,
which were completed by the participants. Another quantitative tool was an observation
checklist, which the researcher filled out while observing the participants. A qualitative measure
included pre-interview and post-interview questions, which each of the participants answered
38
either in-person, via Google Meet, or through writing. The development and usage of these
research tools as well as how the data was analyzed, will be explained in this chapter.
Research Context
The researcher applied to have the study approved by the Institutional Review Board
(IRB) in 2019. The researcher gained approval from the IRB to complete the study on January
16th, 2020. The researcher gave participants two consent forms: one for their parents/guardians
to sign and one for the participants to sign. Copies of the consent forms were given to students to
take home. The signed originals were kept by the researcher in her locked filing cabinet until
they were mailed to Professor Christy O’Connell-Black to store on the University of Northern
Colorado campus in a locked filing cabinet located in room 108 of Crabbe Hall. The researcher
began conducting the pre-interviews once the consent forms were collected from the participants.
At this same time, participants also completed the pre-surveys.
The researcher then began presenting the ballroom dance lessons to the participants on a
weekly basis. The lessons were given in a high school classroom in which the desks were pushed
against the walls for space. Some of the lessons were forty-five minutes long during the school
day in an activity period. Other lessons were taught after school for ninety minutes. During the
study, the researcher taught two forty-five minute lessons and four lessons that lasted for ninety
minutes. Therefore, the researcher taught a total of six lessons and provided 7.5 total hours of
instruction. The researcher filled out observation checklists while observing the participants on
two occasions. The researcher was originally going to observe the participants at least three
times, but the study was cut short due to the COVID-19 school closure. The researcher was only
able to complete two observation rubrics for three participants due to student absences and the
COVID-19 school shutdown.
39
The pandemic also decreased the number of lessons that the researcher was able to
provide to participants. Originally, the researcher was going to teach ballroom lessons for at least
ten weeks. However, she was only able to provide lessons for five weeks because the school
building was closed. After the five weeks of ballroom lessons, the participants completed the
post-survey. The researcher also had participants complete the post-interview questions either via
Google Meet or email, depending on their preference.
Research Participants
Initially, the researcher was going to have two groups of participants: one group from a
public school and another at a dance studio. The participants at the dance studio were recruited
through the owner of the studio who shared the information with his students. However, the
researcher did not get to complete the study with this second group of participants because there
was a temporary closure of the studio due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants at a high
school were recruited by the researcher who is a teacher in the school. She shared the
information about the study with her dance club members as well as the students in her classes in
order to recruit participants. All participants took part in the study on a voluntary basis. The
researcher was able to have the participants complete the research instruments in the study with
the public school group, despite the COVID-19 school closure by using virtual forms of
communication including Google Meet and email.
There were a total of thirteen participants who were involved in the five-week study. The
ages of the participants ranged between fifteen and eighteen years old, as illustrated in the figure
below based on the pre-survey data.
40
Figure 1: Ages of the participants in the study from the pre-survey.
The majority of the dance students in the study (53.9%) had zero to one year of dance
experience. The amount of dance experience that the participants had at the onset of the study
can be seen in the figure below. This information was also gathered from the pre-survey data.
The total percentage for the chart below is 100.1 percent instead of being 100 percent because
the charts were created in Google Forms, which rounded up the totals for each component.
Figure 2: Participants’ years of dance experience in any dance genre at the beginning of the
study.
Additionally, the vast majority of participants (84.6%) had zero years of ballroom dance
experience. The amount of ballroom dance experience that the participants had at the beginning
of the study can be seen in the figure below. These percentages were also compiled from the pre-
survey data.
41
Figure 3: Participants’ years of ballroom dance experience at the onset of the study.
Overall, the participants in this study were adolescents and the majority of them had little
dance experience.
Instruments Used in Data
Collection
The following paragraphs describe the research instruments that were used throughout
this study to collect the data.
Quantitative Research Instruments
The pre-survey and post-survey included twenty-five questions in a Google Form. In one
of the questions, the participants completing the surveys had to supply their code number in
order identify them, yet protect their confidentiality. Twenty of the questions were related to
assessing the participants’ social-emotional intelligence. Four of the questions included their
demographic information.
The pre-survey and post-survey questions were identical so the researcher could compare
how the participants responded to the same question before and after the study. Some of the
questions were modified from the “Panorama Social Emotional Learning Survey.” The
researcher obtained permission to use these questions from the company which produced this
resource. Other questions in the pre-survey and post-survey were developed by the researcher.
42
These questions were developed after the researcher had completed academic reading on social-
emotional learning (SEL) in order to understand the kind of questions that should be asked.
The researcher also developed an observation checklist to utilize when observing
participants in the study. The researcher read texts on body language before developing this
observation checklist. This research informed her of the types of criteria that should be utilized in
order to observe and later assess the participants’ responses in the classes. There were two main
categories in the observation checklist: verbal communication and nonverbal communication.
Qualitative Research Instruments
The pre-interview and post-interview questions were also developed by the researcher
after completing academic reading about SEL. The researcher developed questions that she
thought would not be addressed through the quantitative measures. There were a total of four
questions, which were similar in the pre- and post-interviews so that the researcher could again
compare how the participants responded to the questions before and after the study.
Procedures Used in Collecting
Documents and Data
In this section of the chapter, the researcher will describe how consent forms were
distributed and collected. She will also describe processes used to collect the quantitative and
qualitative data.
Consent Forms
The researcher gave each potential participant in the study two consent forms: one was to
be signed by the participant and the other was to be signed by his or her parent(s) or guardian(s).
The researcher collected the signed consent forms and copies of them were given to the
participants for their records. The original copies of the signed consent forms were kept by the
researcher and stored in her personal locked filing cabinet. These forms were mailed to Professor
43
Christy O’Connell-Black for storage on the University of Northern Colorado campus where they
were deposited in a locked filing cabinet located in Crabbe Hall room 108. Students were only
allowed to be participants in the study if both consent forms were signed and returned to the
researcher.
Quantitative Data Collection
Each participant was assigned a code number in order to protect his or her confidentiality.
These codes were used to identify all participant responses. Participants were then given a link to
the pre-survey, which was a Google Form, and they completed the survey. This Google Form
was used to collect data from each participant. The Google platform later compiled the data into
pie charts. This same process was also followed for the post-survey data collection.
The researcher observed the participants and completed an observation checklist for each
dancer in the classes. The researcher was only able to collect data on two occasions for three
participants due to student absences and the COVID-19 school closure.
Qualitative Data Collection
Each participant individually met with the researcher to conduct the pre-interview. There
were a total of four questions, which were similar in both the pre- and post-interviews. The
researcher asked for permission to capture an audio recording of each pre- and post-interview
whether they were conducted in-person or through Google Meet. These recordings were deleted
once they were transcribed. The researcher also took notes during the pre- and post-interviews,
which were destroyed after the recordings were transcribed. The participants were reminded that
they did not have to answer any questions which they did not feel comfortable discussing. All of
the pre-interviews were conducted in person. Due to the COVID-19 school closure, the post-
interviews had to be conducted electronically. Participants had the option to either type and
44
email their responses to the researcher or do a Google Meet with the researcher in order to
complete the post-interview.
Data Analysis Procedures
The researcher will describe the analysis procedures used to analyze both the quantitative
and qualitative data from this study in the following two sections.
Quantitative Data Analysis
The questions for the pre-surveys and post-surveys were identical so that the researcher
could compare the answers to each question. The researcher printed out copies of the results of
the pre-survey and post-survey. She determined by what percentage there were changes in each
of the responses. Twenty of these questions corresponded to a specific area of social-emotional
growth while other questions were used to record the types of information noted above. The
researcher then compiled a list of the responses in which there was the most growth when
comparing the pre- and post-surveys. This allowed her to determine which areas of the
participants’ social-emotional intelligence were impacted most by the students’ participation in
the ballroom dance lessons.
The researcher analyzed the observation checklists by comparing the first and second
data point for each participant who had two data points. The researcher also tallied the
observation results for the students for whom she completed only one rubric. Although there was
not a second completed rubric for comparison, this data was still useful information and provided
the researcher with an idea of the verbal and nonverbal skills of the participants.
Qualitative Data Analysis
Once the pre-interviews and post-interviews were conducted, the researcher transcribed
the audio recordings of each interview and then deleted the recordings. She then analyzed the
45
pre-interviews and the post-interviews by comparing the responses from the beginning and end
of the study. This analysis also allowed the researcher to assess which areas of the participants’
social-emotional intelligence were most impacted by their participation in the ballroom dance
lessons.
Chapter Summary
In summary, the researcher collected signed consent forms from each of the participants
and they then completed a pre-interview and a pre-survey. The researcher taught ballroom dance
for five weeks in which she taught six ballroom dance lessons, providing the participants with
7.5 hours of instruction. She completed an observation checklist on each participant at the onset
of the study, but was only able to complete the observation checklist a second time for three
participants due to student absences and the COVID-19 school closure. Students completed the
post-survey and the post-interview, which was done over Google Meet or through email. The
researcher analyzed the quantitative portions of the data such as the pre- and post-surveys and
the observation checklists by comparing the results from the beginning and end of the study
based on the changes in the percentage of specific responses. The researcher analyzed the
qualitative data, which included the pre- and post-interviews, by looking for common themes in
the participants’ responses and comparing any changes.
46
CHAPTER IV
DISCUSSION
The researcher will discuss the outcomes of the research in this chapter.
Chapter Overview
The researcher explored the following essential questions in the study:
Q1 What potential overall effect does participating in ballroom dance have on the
social and emotional intelligence of adolescents?
Q2 Which aspects of social and emotional intelligence are best promoted by
participation in ballroom dance?
Thus, the goal of this research was to determine the possible effect that ballroom dancing might
have on the social and emotional intelligence of adolescents and to explore which areas of social-
emotional intelligence were most affected by participating in ballroom dancing. The quantitative
data, including the responses of the participants to the pre- and post-surveys and the researcher’s
observations recorded on the checklists, will be discussed in this chapter. Additionally, the
qualitative data, such as the comments in the pre- and post-interviews, will be shared.
Essentially, this chapter will review the outcomes of the research that was conducted. The
researcher will show the examples of data which demonstrated the most growth in the
participants in their relation to social-emotional learning.
Please note that some of the data presented in the figures of this chapter do not add up to
one hundred percent. This is because the data was automatically analyzed and compiled by
Google Forms, which rounds the totals up or down at times.
47
Quantitative Data
The analysis of the quantitative data as described above will be presented in the next
section of this thesis.
Pre- and Post-Survey Data Analysis
Each participant completed a pre-survey at the onset of the study and a post-survey at the
conclusion of the study. As discussed in the Methodology chapter, the pre-survey and post-
survey included twenty-five questions. Both of these surveys were completed in Google Forms.
The participants completing the surveys had an initial question in which they provided their code
number to identify them, yet protect their confidentiality. In addition, twenty of the questions
were included to assess the participants’ social-emotional intelligence, while four of the
questions were used to collect demographic information. The pre-survey and post-survey
questions used to assess the participants’ social-emotional intelligence were identical so the
researcher could compare how the participants responded to the same question at the beginning
and end of the study. The researcher will share the most notable analyses of data from the pre-
and post-surveys in this portion of the chapter.
The following question from the surveys was aimed to help assess the development of the
social awareness and relationship skills of the participants. This question was: “How carefully
do you listen to other people’s points of view?” The analysis of the data from the participants’
responses to this question can be seen in the table below. Table 1 shows that the response
“extremely carefully” went up 15.3% and the response “quite carefully” went up 7.7%. Thus, it
seems there was an improvement in the listening skills of the participants, which is related to
their social awareness and relationship skills.
48
Table 1
Responses to survey question “How carefully do you listen to other people’s points of view?”
Responses % of Responses on Pre-Survey % of Responses on Post-Survey
Not carefully 0 0
Slightly carefully 7.7 0
Somewhat carefully 15.4 0
Quite carefully 38.5 46.2
Extremely carefully 38.5 53.8
The next question from the surveys was also aimed at assessing any changes in the social
awareness and relationship skills of the participants. This next question was: “How well do you
get along with students who are different from you?” The analysis of the data from this question
can be seen in the following table. Table 2 shows that the response “extremely well” went up
15.4%. Thus, this data also suggested that the social awareness and relationship skills of the
participants was positively impacted for some participants by the content of the lessons presented
in this study.
Table 2
Responses to survey question “How well do you get along with students who are different from
you?”
Responses % of Responses on Pre-Survey % of Responses on Post-Survey
Do not get along 0 0
Get along a little 0 0
Get along somewhat 7.7 7.7
Get along pretty well 76.9 61.5
Get along extremely well 15.4 30.8
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The following question from the surveys was used to assess any developments in the self-
management skills of the participants. The researcher asked, “How focused can you stay when
there are lots of distractions and you are trying to learn something?” An analysis of the data from
this question is noted in the table below. Based on the outcome of this analysis, the response
“extremely” focused went up 7.7%, “quite focused” went up 7.7%, and “somewhat focused”
went up 23%. Thus, it seems that the self-management skills of some of the participants
improved as an outcome of participation in this study.
Table 3
Responses to survey question “How focused can you stay when there are lots of distractions and
you are trying to learn something?”
Responses % of Responses on Pre-Survey % of Responses on Post-Survey
Not focused 15.4 7.7
Slightly focused 46.2 15.4
Somewhat focused 38.5 61.5
Quite focused 0 7.7
Extremely focused 0 7.7
The following question from the surveys also aimed to assess any changes in the self-
management skills of the participants. The question was: “How often can you get yourself to
relax once you get upset?” The data from this question is shared in the following table. In the
outcome of this analysis, the answer “frequently” went up 30.8%, which also suggested an
improvement in the self-management skills of the participants as an outcome of participating in
this study.
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Table 4
Responses to survey question “How often can you get yourself to relax once you get upset?”
Responses % of Responses on Pre-Survey % of Responses on Post-Survey
Almost never 0 0
Once in a while 15.4 15.4
Sometimes 53.8 23.1
Frequently 15.4 46.2
Almost always 15.4 15.4
Another question in the survey was included to assess any changes in the self-
management skills of the participants. The researcher asked: “How well can you keep working if
you are having a difficult time doing something?” The analysis of data from this question is
included in Table 5 below. The answer “somewhat well” went up 15.4%, which may also imply
development in the self-management skills of the participants due to their involvement in this
study.
Table 5
Responses to the survey question “How well can you keep working if you are having a difficult
time doing something?”
Responses % of Responses on Pre-Survey % of Responses on Post-Survey
Not well at all 15.4 0
Slightly well 30.8 30.8
Somewhat well 30.8 46.2
Quite well 23.1 23.1
The next question from the surveys was presented to determine any changes in the self-
awareness of the participants. The question posed was: “How confident do you feel?” The data
51
from this question can be seen in the subsequent table. The response “quite confident” went up
23.1%. Additionally, the response “not confident” was 15.4% in the pre-survey and it went down
to 0% in the post-survey. The analysis of this data would suggest that all the participants
experienced growth in their self-awareness.
Table 6
Responses to survey question “How confident do you feel?”
Responses % of Responses on Pre-Survey % of Responses on Post-Survey
Not confident 15.4 0
Slightly confident 23.1 15.4
Somewhat confident 30.8 30.8
Quite confident 15.4 38.5
Extremely confident 15.4 15.4
The last question from the surveys to be discussed here was also included to assess any
developments in the self-awareness of the participants. The question was: “How often do you
have positive thoughts about yourself?” The outcome of the analysis of data from this question
can be observed in the following table. The response “almost always” went up 7.7% and the
response “sometimes” increased by 15.4%. One may infer from this data that the positive
thoughts of the participants, and thus their self-awareness, improved to a certain extent as an
outcome of their participation in this study.
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Table 7
Responses to the survey question “How often do you have positive thoughts about yourself?”
Responses % of Responses on Pre-Survey % of Responses on Post-Survey
Almost never 0 0
Rarely 30.8 7.7
Sometimes 30.8 46.2
Often 23.1 23.1
Almost always 15.4 23.1
Essentially, the aforementioned data analyses suggested that there may have been an
improvement in the SEL competencies as an outcome of participation in this study including
some positive changes in the participants’ self-awareness, self-management, social awareness,
and relationship skills. As previously mentioned, the researcher did not design questions that
would assess the participants’ responsible-decision making, another SEL competency.
Furthermore, the data from all twenty questions assessing the SEL of the participants was not
provided above; only the responses to questions in which there was the greatest improvement
were addressed.
Analysis of Researcher’s
Observations
As previously mentioned, the researcher completed an observation checklist for all
thirteen participants at the onset of the study. However, the researcher was only able to complete
a second post-observation checklist for three of the participants due to student absences and the
COVID-19 school closure. In this section, the researcher will reflect on only the pre- and post-
observation checklist data from the three participants for whom two observation checklists were
completed.
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There were a total of eight items on the observation checklist, which tracked the students’
behaviors on the following criteria: 1) positive comments about him/herself, 2) positive
comments about others, 3) tone of voice, 4) ability to accept praise/positive feedback, 5) posture,
6) ability to take up space, 7) facial expressions, and 8) body language. The students were rated
twice on the above criteria, but the researcher focused in the presentation of her analysis on the
two areas of greatest growth for the three previously mentioned participants. The areas of
greatest growth were in participants’ posture and the ability to take up space.
In the table below, the researcher shares her analysis of data on the posture of the
participants, as recorded on the first and second observation checklists. Table 8 illustrated that
the participants had poor posture at the 66.7% level during the first observation. During the
researcher’s second observation, these three participants did not always have poor posture and
thus demonstrated an improvement in this checklist criteria. In addition to the pre- and post-
survey data, this outcome may suggest an improvement in the participants’ confidence and thus
their self-awareness.
Table 8
Observations on the students’ posture from the first and second checklists
Criteria
% of Criteria on First
Observation Checklist
% of Criteria on Second
Observation Checklist
Student always has excellent posture 0 0
Student usually has good posture 33.3 33.3
Student occasionally has poor posture 0 66.7
Student always has poor posture 66.7 0
The table below provides data on the participants’ use of space, which was recorded on
the first and second observation checklist. This data showed that initially the three participants
54
who were observed twice took up little space at the 66.7% level. However, during the second
observation, these same subjects took up little space at the level of 33.3% which demonstrated an
improvement in their ability to take up space. This may also indicate an improvement in the
confidence of the participants and thus their self-awareness.
Table 9
Observations on the students’ use of space from the first and second checklist
Criteria
% of Criteria on First
Observation Checklist
% of Criteria on Second
Observation checklist
Student always takes up space 0 33.3
Student occasionally takes up space 33.3 0
Student often takes up little space/hides 0 33.3
Student always takes up little space/hides 66.7 33.3
Qualitative Data
In the following section, the researcher will present an analysis of the qualitative data that
was the outcome of this study.
Analysis of Pre- and Post-Interviews
Each participant completed a pre-interview at the onset of the study and a post-interview
at the conclusion of the study. The questions from the pre-interviews and post-interviews were
similar so that the researcher could compare the potential growth of the participants. In the
qualitative analysis, the researcher also sought to connect the participants’ responses with the
SEL competencies including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and
relationship skills.
55
Participants’ Responses to Question #1
Question number one from the pre-interview was: “In general, or from day to day, how
would you describe your mood?” At the end of the study, the participants were asked the
following question in the post-interview: “Has ballroom dancing impacted your mood?” In the
next few paragraphs, the researcher will share some of the participants’ responses to these
questions.
Participant C responded to question one in the pre-interview by saying, “I’m usually
pretty like mellow I guess, but I’m usually--I think I’m depressed, I don’t know. I get like mood
swings and stuff.” This is a contrast to the post-interview in which this same participant
remarked, “Yes, I feel a lot happier, and like I have a right to feel happy. I can more easily
recover from things that upset me and I feel like my mind is clearer most of the time. I don’t get
as fed up with people as I used to.” This improvement in mood and emotional regulation may
suggest an improvement in self-awareness and self-management for this participant.
Participant D shared in the pre-interview when answering question one that he or she is
on medication for anxiety and that his or her mood is dependent on personal circumstances. In
the post-interview, this participant responded to question one by saying, “I believe that ballroom
dancing has affected my mood. During the classes, I found myself more confident and cheerful,
this effect lasting even after the classes were finished.” The improvement in confidence and
mood may indicate that there was also growth in self-awareness for this participant.
Participants’ Responses to Question #2
Question number two from the pre-interview was: “In general, how would you describe
your self-image or confidence?” The second question from the post-interview was: “Has
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ballroom dancing impacted your self-image or confidence?” In the paragraphs below, the
researcher will review some of the participants’ answers to these questions.
Participant C answered question two from the pre-interview by stating, “I wouldn’t say
very good. I think it’s pretty terrible, but you know, people tell me things about me I don’t think
are true, but like other people think differently—good things about me--but I think about myself
differently.” This response shows a lack of confidence and that this participant did not believe
the positive thoughts others had about him or her. Participant C responded to post-interview
question two by explaining:
I definitely feel more confident and that’s one of the biggest things. I used to be afraid of
walking outside my house alone, but I’ve been going on walks by myself recently. I was
afraid because I didn’t want to look or feel stupid if I didn’t know where I was going, but
I just cast those worries aside. I mean, I still have those thoughts, but I don’t let them
control me as much.
This response would indicate an improvement in confidence as well as the ability to manage his
or her emotions. Thus, the responses here may indicate a growth in the self-awareness and self-
management of the participant.
In response to question two on the pre-interview, participant D indicated, “I really need to
work on that, honestly. You know, my therapist tells me all of the time to have better confidence
and like stop thinking negatively about [myself] and I really--I do try. It’s just, it’s tough.” This
participant responded to the second question in the post-interview by remarking, “Ballroom
dancing absolutely boosted my confidence. It was really nice to look around and see people in
the same situation as me, learning the same things at the same pace. We all helped each other
out, and that really made it a lot more fun.” This improvement in the participant’s confidence
may imply an increase in his or her self-awareness.
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Participant A answered question two in the pre-interview by saying, “I think I have a
pretty good self-image. Certain things I’m not as confident with and I can definitely see that, but
most of the time, pretty confident.” This participant responded to question two in the post-
interview by explaining, “Yes, ballroom dancing has made me feel more confident. Especially
when I mess up or make a mistake, it has made me feel comfortable just laughing it off and
trying again.” This response would suggest an improvement in this participants’ confidence as
well as his or her ability to overcome mistakes. It may be inferred from this reply that there could
be an improvement in this participant’s self-awareness and self-management.
Participant B responded to question two in the pre-interview by declaring, “Quite
confident. Open to new things.” Participant B responded to the second question in the post-
interview by disclosing, “I had already seen myself as fairly confident and ballroom dancing
definitely didn’t harm my self-image. I think it may have even increased my confidence because
I found out that I can do anything if I try and focus on it.” Thus, this participant shared that there
was an improvement in his or her confidence as well as his or her ability to learn by focusing.
The above statements may suggest an improvement in the participant’s self-awareness and self-
management skills.
Finally, participant E shared the following when answering question two in the pre-
interview, “Very poor. I think that’s about it.” When asked question two in the post-interview,
this participant explained, “When dancing, I think that I feel more confident, especially with the
people in the dance club. We all like to goof around and have fun together, and it makes me feel
more comfortable to dance in front of them.” This reaction may indicate a growth in the area of
self-awareness for this participant.
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Participants’ Responses to Question #3
Question number three on the pre-interview was: “How good are your social skills
(starting conversations with others/making new friends/keeping friends, collaborating, etc.)?”
Question three of the post-interview was: “Has ballroom dancing impacted your social skills?” In
the subsequent paragraphs, the researcher will again share some of the participants’ responses to
these questions.
Participant C replied to question three in the pre-interview with the following
explanation:
I mean they’ve gotten better recently so I can like talk to people. It’s hard for me to like
introduce myself to people and like I’m not good with like you know one-on-one
conversations usually--well like interviews, but like with my friends, I’m definitely a lot
more confident to just say whatever. It’s not as much anxiety as I’m talking to like a
stranger.
Although this participant was comfortable talking with friends, it was difficult for him or her to
converse with a stranger or someone new. This participant’s response to question three in the
post-interview was:
Yes, so much so. I can talk to people and although I’m not the best speaker, I’m a lot
better than before. I still have trouble with listening, but even that’s gotten a little better.
The thing is because I feel more confident, I speak more often, and then learn how to
speak to people better . . . .
Therefore, there may have been an improvement in this individual’s relationship skills.
Participant A responded to the same question in the pre-interview by sharing, “So certain
conversations in school with people that I don’t really know, I have a hard time with.” This
participant went on to explain that he or she was comfortable communicating with people in his
or her friend group or those in other extracurricular activities. Participant A answered question
three in the post-interview by stating, “Yes, ballroom dancing has made me feel better talking to
59
new and different people that I have never met before.” Therefore, it seems that there could be a
potential improvement in the area of relationship skills for this participant.
Participants’ Responses to Question #4
“What do you hope to get out of this dance class?” was question four in the pre-
interview, while the question in the post-interview was: “Did you learn anything about yourself
or grow because of your ballroom dance classes?” Some of the participants’ answers to these
questions will be reviewed below.
The response of Participant C to question four in the pre-interview was:
I hope that I become more confident and [become] better at . . . wanting to put myself out
there . . . if I’m doing like a presentation or whatever . . . I’ll be more confident about
what I know so that I can do better. Also, I hope to . . . get better at dancing too.
This same participant responded to question four on the post-interview by remarking:
I learned how to better assess emotions I feel and how to deal with them. I’ve always had
trouble identifying how I feel about things or how to deal with anger or sadness. But just
simply interacting with people like in class and such connected me more not only to other
people, but to myself as well . . . I can understand people’s feelings more, and can think
more carefully about what I think of people that are different from me.
This participant noted an improvement in their ability to assess and manage their emotions,
which may suggest a development in their self-awareness and self-management skills. He or she
also noted that he or she is better at understanding the feelings of others and people who are
different from him or her, which may indicate an improvement in his or her social awareness
and relationship skills.
In his or her response to question four on the pre-interview, participant F explained that
his or her goal for the dance class was to “. . . learn a little about some dance and just to kind of
have some fun with it.” This participant answered question four on the post-interview by
observing:
60
. . . Ballroom also made me realize how determined I am when I am learning. If me
and/or my partner had any issues with the dance we were doing, we would stop, count
ourselves back in, and try to remedy the mistake we made. Doing this still boosted my
determination more since there are still some aspects of my life where it falters . . . .
This response may suggest an improvement in this participant’s perseverance, which may
indicate growth in the area of self-management.
Participant G answered pre-interview question four by saying, “One thing I want is to
hope to have the skills so that I can dance with [people] later on in life, but I also hope that I can
make some more life-long friendships with other people.” This participant answered question
four in the post-interview by reflecting:
Ballroom dancing has made me realize that I am capable of more things than I realize and
that I am the only thing that is stopping me from achieving all my goals. I have grown
because of our dance sessions because I am now more likely to try new things and it has
helped me discover new activities that I love to do that I would have never even thought
of trying before all of this.
This student’s response may indicate an improvement in his or her confidence and mindset,
which may suggest that there was growth in the area of self-awareness.
When answering question four of the pre-interview, Participant H responded, “I really
don’t know. Like dance is just like fun . . . maybe, I don’t know, some more knowledge of
different kinds of dances because I think like learning about different kinds of dances is
interesting.” This participant answered question four on the post-interview by sharing, “. . .
dance classes have made me more confident and they’ve made me doubt myself a lot less. And
that can be like applied to other things like my art.” This participant went on to explain that he or
she does not have to worry about procrastinating on his or her work and this person now believes
he or she “. . . can do this work.” Therefore, it appears that this participant saw an improvement
in his or her confidence and ability to complete work, which may signify an improvement in his
or her self-awareness and self-management.
61
Participant E answered question four of the pre-interview by mentioning, “Confidence
would be nice. Also, being able to dance—that’d be nice too—just in case I ever need it.” This
participant replied to question four on the post-interview by reflecting, “I think one of the main
things I learned about myself, or something that everyone should learn, is how to take and use
constructive criticism, and how to relax and have fun even when your day or week is jam
packed.” This answer may suggest progress in the area of self-awareness for this participant.
Chapter Summary
Overall, both the quantitative data and qualitative data suggested that the participants
may have experienced growth in all four of the SEL competencies that were assessed: self-
awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationships skills. After reflecting on the
data from the pre- and post-surveys, observation checklists, and pre- and post-interviews, it
seems that the areas of greatest growth were in the self-awareness and self-management
domains. This is because the data analysis most often pointed to growth in these SEL
competencies.
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CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
The researcher will review the research questions, the goal of the research, and the
research methodology. There will also be a discussion of the outcome, including the implications
and limitations of the study. The researcher will also provide suggestions for future research as
well as concluding remarks on the study.
Research Goals and Questions
The researcher used two research questions as a basis for this study. The research
questions were as follows:
Q1 What potential overall effect does participating in ballroom dance have on the
social and emotional intelligence of adolescents?
Q2 Which aspects of social and emotional intelligence are best promoted by
participation in ballroom dance?
Essentially, the goal of this research was to explore the effect that ballroom dancing had on the
social and emotional intelligence of adolescents and to examine which areas of social-emotional
intelligence were most affected by participating in ballroom dancing. The researcher focused on
four of the five social and emotional intelligence competencies including: self-awareness, self-
management, social awareness, and relationship skills. The researcher did not assess the SEL
competency known as responsible decision making in order to narrow the scope of the study.
63
Review of the Methodology
The researcher compiled and utilized both quantitative and qualitative measures in order
to complete this study. The responses on the pre-surveys and post-surveys, which were
completed by the participants, were used as a quantitative measure. Another quantitative tool
was an observation checklist, which the researcher completed while observing the participants
during class. A qualitative measure included the participants’ answers to pre-interview and post-
interview questions, which each student answered either in-person, via Google Meet, or through
writing.
Discussion of Outcome
The following section will address the implications and limitations of the study as well as
the concluding remarks of the researcher.
Implications of the Study
The first research question was:
Q1 What potential overall effect does participating in ballroom dance have on the
social and emotional intelligence of adolescents?
This research may suggest that ballroom dance promotes the social and emotional intelligence of
adolescents. Both the quantitative and qualitative data that was collected may indicate that the
participants experienced growth in all four of the SEL competencies that were assessed, which
were: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship skills.
The second research question was:
Q2 Which aspects of social and emotional intelligence are best promoted by
participation in ballroom dance?
After analyzing the quantitative and qualitative data, the research would suggest that the self-
awareness and self-management of the participants were most improved due to participation in
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the study. This is because the data analysis most frequently pointed to growth in these two SEL
competencies. However, as previously mentioned, the participants may have experienced growth
in all four of the SEL competencies that were assessed.
Limitations of the Study
Although this research may indicate growth in the social and emotional intelligence of
the participants, there were some limitations to the study, which will be addressed in this section.
One limitation of the study was that the researcher was also the instructor for the dance lessons,
which may have created bias in the participants and affected their responses in a positive
direction. Another limitation was the sample size of the participants as only thirteen students
completed the study. Furthermore, the length of the study was shortened from ten weeks to five
weeks, due to the COVID-19 school closure. It is also important to note that the researcher was
only able to teach rhythm dances and not smooth dances since the study was shortened. Also, all
the participants were not present at every meeting, which decreased the amount of ballroom
instruction that some of the participants received.
Furthermore, the data collection and tools that were used created some limitations in this
study. For instance, the post-interviews had to be conducted electronically rather than in person.
Additionally, there was a gap between the conclusion of the dance lessons and when some of the
post-interviews were conducted as the researcher had difficulty contacting some of the
participants after the school closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Some of the pre- and post-
survey questions were based on the “Panorama Social-Emotional Learning Survey” by Hunter
Gehlbach. However, the questions were modified and the researcher added her own questions to
the survey. Therefore, another limitation of the study was that the research instruments including
the pre- and post-survey questions, the pre- and post-interview questions, and the observation
65
checklist were not been tested for validity. It is also important to note that another limitation was
that not all of the data showed growth in the participants; the only data that was reviewed in this
thesis was the data which demonstrated the most growth in the participants.
Suggestions for Future Research
It would be beneficial to complete a study exploring similar research questions to those in
this study, but which takes place over a longer time period. This might increase the validity of
the outcome. It would also be beneficial to conduct a similar study with a larger group of
participants for the same reason. Furthermore, it may be beneficial to complete a similar study
with multiple groups of participants who are taught by different instructors, which did not end up
happening in this study. This would allow the researcher to examine if the instructor’s teaching
style and demeanor affect the outcome. Additionally, it may also increase the validity of the
outcome if the researcher was not the instructor of the dance lessons. It would also be beneficial
for another study to be conducted in which the instructor taught both rhythm and smooth dances,
which did not get to happen in this study.
The researcher examined the affect ballroom dancing had on the participants based on
only four of the five SEL competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and
relationship skills. The fifth competency, responsible decision making, was not assessed in order
to narrow the scope of the study. Therefore, an area of future research would be for someone to
investigate the effect that ballroom dancing has on adolescents’ responsible decision making
skills.
Concluding Remarks
With the challenges that adolescents face, it is important for them to possess the five SEL
competencies including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills,
66
and responsible decision making. These social-emotional skills are essential as they can help
youth to navigate a world which seemingly grows more complex with each day. Although the
problems they encounter will not disappear, having a strong social-emotional intelligence will
help them manage how they react to and overcome the obstacles that they face in life. It is
imperative for school systems, which are responsible for equipping youth to be successful in
their post-secondary lives, to ensure that they provide opportunities for adolescents to develop
their social-emotional intelligence.
The world has become increasingly more dependent on electronics, even before the
COVID-19 pandemic. Now, technology is one of the main ways people learn, work, and
communicate. This often leaves people with little human interaction. Brené Brown is a well-
known speaker and author with BSW, MSW, and Ph.D. degrees in social work. In her novel
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to be Vulnerable Transforms the Way we Live, Love, Parent,
and Lead, she aptly affirmed, “Connection is why we’re here. We are hardwired to connect with
others, it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering”
(Brown 8). Thus, connecting with others is a critical component of humanity.
To some, ballroom dancing is written off as merely a fun physical activity. However,
ballroom dancing not only allows dancers to physically connect, it enables people to emotionally
connect with others as well as with their inner self. Ballroom dancing should not only be seen as
a hobby or a sport, it must be acknowledged for the benefits it can provide, namely, its ability to
bring people together. Ballroom dancing is beneficial for a variety of reasons and this study may
indicate that it promotes the social-emotional intelligence of adolescents. If that is the case, it
would be wise for school districts to add ballroom dancing classes to their existing programs.
Educators should champion the implementation of ballroom dancing programs because it might
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not only develop the social-emotional intelligence of students, but it would offer them something
which all people need: human connection.
68
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McLeod, Saul. “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.” 20 Mar. 2020, https://www.simplypsychology
.org/maslow.html#:~:text=Maslow's%20hierarchy%20of%20needs%20is,hierarchical%2
0levels%20within%20a%20pyramid.&text=From%20the%20bottom%20of%20the,estee
m%2C%20and%20self%2Dactualization.
Minton, Sandra C. and Judi Hofmeister. “The International Baccalaureate Dance Programme:
Learning Skills for Life in the 21st Century.” Journal of Dance Education, vol. 10, no. 3,
pp. 67-76, DOI: 10.1080/15290824.2010.508695.
Pilar Queralt Del Hierro, Maria. “The Elegant Waltz Was Once Considered Vienna’s Forbidden
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Pledger, Carrie. “Ballroom Dance: An Education Like No Other.” Inquiry: The Journal of the
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Schupp, Karen. “Teaching Collaborative Skills through Dance: Isolating the Parts to Strengthen
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APPENDIX A:
INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD FORMS
77
I n s t i t u t i o n a l R e v i e w B o a r d
DATE: January 16, 2020
TO: Ashley Baxter
FROM: University of Northern Colorado (UNCO) IRB
PROJECT TITLE: [1517868-3] Participation in Ballroom Dancing: The Effects on the Social and Emotional Intelligence of Adolescents
SUBMISSION TYPE: Amendment/Modification
ACTION: APPROVED
APPROVAL DATE: January 16, 2020
EXPIRATION DATE: *see note below*
REVIEW TYPE: Expedited Review
Thank you for your submission of Amendment/Modification materials for this project. The University of Northern Colorado (UNCO) IRB has APPROVED your submission. All research must be conducted in accordance with this approved submission.
This submission has received Expedited Review based on applicable federal regulations.
Please remember that informed consent is a process beginning with a description of the project and insurance of participant understanding. Informed consent must continue throughout the project via a dialogue between the researcher and research participant. Federal regulations require that each participant receives a copy of the consent document.
Please note that any revision to previously approved materials must be approved by this committee
prior to initiation. Please use the appropriate revision forms for this procedure.
All UNANTICIPATED PROBLEMS involving risks to subjects or others and SERIOUS and UNEXPECTED adverse events must be reported promptly to this office.
All NON-COMPLIANCE issues or COMPLAINTS regarding this project must be reported promptly to this office.
Under the recently revised Common Rule, this project will not require annual continuing review
by the committee. Your project has been assigned a "Next Report Due" date of January 16, 2023. Just prior to that date, the IRB will check in with you to get a current status of your project. This will help us determine if your project needs to be extended or if your study is ready to be closed. If you have completed your project prior to that date, please contact the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs to complete a closing report.
Please note that all research records must be retained for a minimum of three years after the completion of the project. - 1 - Generated on IRBNet
78
If you have any questions, please contact Nicole Morse at 970-351-1910 or [email protected]. Please include your project title and reference number in all correspondence with this committee.
This letter has been electronically signed in accordance with all applicable regulations, and a copy is retained within University of Northern Colorado (UNCO) IRB's records.
79
Parent Consent Form for Human Participants in Research
University of Northern Colorado
Project title: Participation in Ballroom Dancing: The Effects on the Social and Emotional
Intelligence of Adolescents
Researcher: Ashley Baxter, Dance Education Master’s Program, School of Theatre Arts &
Dance, Extended Studies Division
Phone: --------------- Email: ---------------
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Sandra Minton Phone: ---------- Email: ----------
Purpose and Description: According to The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional
Learning (CASEL) document, social and emotional learning is defined as: “the process through
which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel
and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible
decisions” (Casel.org). The researcher is exploring the potential effect that participating in
ballroom dancing has on the social and emotional intelligence of adolescents. If you grant
permission, and if your child indicates to us a willingness to participate, you and your child will
return the consent forms with your signatures.
After the signed consent forms have been returned, your child will complete a pre-survey and
pre-interview with the researcher in order to determine his/her social and emotional intelligence
at the onset of the study. The pre-survey will likely take 15-20 minutes to complete and the pre-
interview will likely take 5-10 minutes to complete. Your child will then participate in weekly
ballroom dance lessons. The dance lessons in this study will be offered at least once a week over
the duration of ten weeks. The researcher will take notes about her observations regarding your
childs’ social and emotional intelligence during some of your childs’ dance lessons. These notes
will involve describing the students’ verbal comments, body language, and interactions with
other students. Your child will also be asked to complete a post-survey at the end of the study,
which will likely take them about 15-20 minutes to complete. It will be the same survey given at
the beginning of the study so that the researcher can compare your child’s responses to see if
there are any changes or growth in social/emotional intelligence. Your child will also be asked to
participate in a post-interview so the researcher can examine the possible social and emotional
learning of the participants. The post-interview will likely take 5-10 minutes to complete. The
pre- and post-interviews will be videotaped, but they will be deleted after they have been
transcribed.
Page 1 of 2
__________
(Parent/guardian’s initials here)
80
The potential risks for participants in this study are minimal. There is the potential for students to
injure themselves while dancing. However, the risk should be no higher than participating in
other physical activities or in other movement-based classes such as gym. Participants will not
receive any compensation for their participation in the study.
The researcher will protect the identity of your child and will not refer to him/her by name or any
other identifying characteristics in her study. All data collected in this study will be stored in a
locked file cabinet in the home of the researcher. Digital data will be stored on a password-
protected computer. The videos will be stored on the researchers’ password-protected iPad and
will be deleted after they have been transcribed. The completed consent forms will be stored in
the researchers’ locked filing cabinet in her home. During the summer of 2020, the researcher
will personally deliver the forms to the University of Northern Colorado. They will then be
stored in Crabbe Hall, room 308, the office of Christy O’Connell-Black, Dance Education MA
co-coordinator. All data and consent forms will be destroyed three years after the completion of
the study.
Participation is voluntary. You may decide not to allow your child to participate in this study. If
your child begins participation, you may still decide to stop and withdraw them from this study
at any time. Your decision will be respected and will not result in loss of benefits to which you
are otherwise entitled. Having read the above and having had an opportunity to ask any
questions, please sign below if you would like your child to participate in this research. A copy
of this form will be given to you to retain for future reference. If you have any concerns about
your selection or treatment as a research participant, please contact Nicole Morse, Office of
Research, Kepner Hall, University of Northern Colorado Greeley, CO 80639; 970-351-1910.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about this research and
please retain one copy of this letter for your records.
Thank you for assisting me with my research.
Sincerely,
Ashley Baxter
__________________________________ ______________________________
Child’s Full Name (please print) Child’s Birthdate (month/day/year)
____________________________________ ____________________
Parent/Guardian’s Signature Date
__________________________________ ____________________
Researcher’s Signature Date
Page 2 of 2
81
Student Consent Form for Human Participants in Research
University of Northern Colorado
Project title: Participation in Ballroom Dancing: The Effects on the Social and Emotional
Intelligence of Adolescents
Researcher: Ashley Baxter, Dance Education Master’s Program, School of Theatre Arts &
Dance, Extended Studies Division
Phone: ---------- Email: ----------
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Sandra Minton Phone: ---------- Email: ----------
Purpose and benefits: According to The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional
Learning (CASEL) document, social and emotional learning is defined as: “the process through
which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel
and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible
decisions” (Casel.org). The researcher is exploring the potential effect that participating in
ballroom dancing has on the social and emotional intelligence of adolescents. This study will
hopefully help people to see the importance of dancing and movement. One benefit of this study
is you will get to participate in weekly ballroom dance lessons. Also, you will get to learn about
your social and emotional skills.
Description: If you decide to participate in this study, you will first return consent forms that you
and your parent(s)/guardian(s) sign. After the signed consent forms have been returned, you will
complete a pre-survey and pre-interview with the researcher in order to determine your social
and emotional intelligence. The pre-survey will likely take 15-20 minutes to complete and the
pre-interview will likely take 5-10 minutes to complete. You will then participate in weekly
ballroom dance lessons. The dance lessons in this study will be offered at least once a week over
the duration of ten weeks. The researcher will take notes about her observations regarding your
social and emotional intelligence during some of your dance lessons. These notes will involve
describing your verbal comments, body language, and interactions with other students. You will
also be asked to complete a post-survey at the end of the study, which will likely take you about
15-20 minutes to complete. It will be the same survey given at the beginning of the study so that
the researcher can compare your responses to see if there are any changes or growth in your
social/emotional intelligence. You will also be asked to participate in a post-interview so the
researcher can examine your possible social and emotional learning. The post-interview will
likely take 5-10 minutes to complete. The pre- and post-interviews will be videotaped.
Page 1 of 2
___________
(participants’ initials here)
82
Your potential risks for participating in this study are minimal. There is the potential for you to
injure yourself while dancing. However, the risk should be no higher than participating in other
physical activities or in other movement-based classes such as gym. You will not receive any
compensation for your participation in the study.
The researcher will protect your identity and will not refer to you by name or use any other
identifying characteristics in her study. All data collected in this study will be stored in a locked
file cabinet in the home of the researcher. Digital data will be stored on a password-protected
computer. The videos of the interviews will be stored on the researchers’ password-protected
iPad and will be deleted after they have been transcribed. This completed consent form will be
stored in the researchers’ locked filing cabinet in her home. During the summer of 2020, the
researcher will personally deliver it to the University of Northern Colorado. It will then be stored
in Crabbe Hall, room 308, the office of Christy O’Connell-Black, Dance Education MA co-
coordinator. All data and consent forms will be destroyed three years after the completion of the
study.
Participation is voluntary. You may decide not to participate in this study and if you begin
participation you may still decide to stop and withdraw at any time. Your decision will be
respected and will not result in loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. Having read
the above and having had an opportunity to ask any questions, please sign below if you would
like to participate in this research. A copy of this form will be given to you to retain for future
reference. If you have any concerns about your selection or treatment as a research participant,
please contact Nicole Morse, Office of Research, Kepner Hall, University of Northern Colorado
Greeley, CO 80639; 970-351-1910.
Please let me know if you have any questions about my study. Thank you for your participation!
______________________________ ________________
Subject’s Signature Date
______________________________ ________________
Researcher’s Signature Date
Page 2 of 2
83
APPENDIX B:
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
Student # __________
Observation Checklist
Excellent Good Needs Improvement Poor
Verbal
Communication ❏ Student says
multiple
positive
comments
about
him/herself
❏ Student says
multiple
positive
comments
about others
❏ The student
always
speaks in a
polite and
respectful
tone of voice
❏ The student
always
accepts praise
or positive
feedback
❏ Student makes
one positive
comment about
him/herself
❏ Student says
one positive
comment about
others
❏ The student
usually speaks
in a polite and
respectful tone
of voice
❏ The student
usually
accepts praise
or positive
feedback
❏ Student says
one negative
comment
about
him/herself
❏ Student says
one negative
comment
about others
❏ Student
occasionally
uses a
negative/rude
tone of voice
❏ The student
rarely
accepts
praise or
positive
feedback
❏ Students says
multiple negative
comments about
him/herself
❏ Students says
multiple negative
comments about
others
❏ Student always
speaks in a
negative/rude tone
of voice
❏ The student does
not accept praise
or positive
feedback
Nonverbal
Communication ❏ The student
always has
excellent
posture
❏ The student
always takes
up space
❏ The student
always has
positive
facial
expressions
❏ The student
always
exhibits
friendly body
language
❏ The student
usually has
good posture
❏ The student
occasionally
takes up space
❏ The student
usually has
positive facial
expressions
❏ The student
usually
exhibits
friendly body
language
❏ The student
occasionally
has poor
posture
❏ The student
often takes
up little
space/hides
❏ The student
sometimes
has negative
facial
expressions
❏ The student
often has
unfriendly
body
language
❏ The student
always has poor
posture
❏ The student
always takes up
little space/hides
❏ The student
always has
negative facial
expressions
❏ The student
always exhibits
confrontational
body language
95
The Pre-Interview Questions
1. In general, or from day to day, how would you describe your mood?
2. In general, how would you describe your self-image or confidence?
3. How good are your social skills (starting conversations with others/making new
friends/keeping friends, collaborating, etc.)?
4. What do you hope to get out of this dance class?
The Post-Interview Questions
1. Has ballroom dancing impacted your mood? Please explain.
2. Has ballroom dancing impacted your self-image or confidence? Please explain.
3. Has ballroom dancing impacted your social skills? Please explain?
4. Did you learn anything about yourself or grow because of your ballroom dance classes?
Please explain.
96
APPENDIX C:
BALLROOM DANCE LESSON CONTENT
97
Lesson #1
Subgenre: American style rumba
Figures taught:
• Basic box
• Follower’s underarm turn
Concepts taught:
• Lead/follow
• Displaying confidence (chin up, sass)
Lesson #2
Subgenre: American style rumba
Figures taught:
• Basic box (review)
• Follower’s underarm turn (review)
• Crossover break
Concepts taught:
• Communication and confidence through eye contact
• Hip action: bend knee and straighten, figure eight with hips, imaginary string (visual
imagery)
Lesson #3
Subgenre: American style rumba and East Coast swing
Figures taught:
• Basic box (review, rumba)
• Follower’s underarm turn (review, rumba)
98
• Basic (swing)
• Follower’s underarm turn (swing)
Concepts taught:
• Eye contact
• How to have good posture
• Character of the dances
• Perseverance; don’t practice until you get it right, practice until you can’t get it wrong
• Footwork is a dancer’s foundation
Lesson #4
Subgenre: East Coast swing
Figures taught:
• Basic (review)
• Follower’s underarm turn (review)
• Swing kicks (two variations)
Concepts taught:
• Eye contact, chin up, confidence, smile
• Lead and follow
• Character of the dance
• Small steps
• Dance etiquette
Lesson #5
Subgenre: American style rumba and East Coast swing
Figures taught:
99
• Basic (review, rumba)
• Follower’s underarm turn (review, rumba)
• Basic (review, swing)
• Follower’s underarm turn (review, swing)
• Swing kicks (review, two variations)
• ninety-degree rotation (swing)
Concepts taught:
• Lead and follow
• Maintaining eye contact
• Posture
• Small steps
• Perseverance
• Channeling feelings into dance
Lesson #6
Subgenre: East Coast swing
Figures taught:
• Basic (review, swing)
• Swing kicks (review, two variations)
Concepts taught:
• Eye contact, smile
• Hip action (pendulum)
• Small steps
• Character of the dance
100
• Lead and follow
